PPBA: Listen's Double Lifts Dodgers to Pinto Title

Eight-year-old found himself in a situation every baseball player dreams about Thursday afternoon at the Palisades Recreation Center's Field of Dreams complex.

The Dodgers shortstop was at the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning and his team trailing 2-1 in the second and decisive game of the Palisades Pony Baseball Association's Pinto Division championship series.

Listen hit a ball deep to left field which landed just short of the fence and bounced over it for a ground-rule double that scored two runs and gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. followed with a high fly to center field that was dropped and two more runs scored. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Yankees had a runner on first with two outs when pitcher fielded a ground ball back to the mound and tossed to at first for the final out of the Dodgers' thrilling 5-2 comeback victory.

Listen simply nodded when asked if he thought his game-winning hit was going to be a home run.

"I was just trying to get on base," said Listen, who also made a key play at shortstop when he threw to first to get the Yankees' first batter by a step in the bottom of the sixth. "I was a little nervous when there were two outs. We were holding our hats."

Listen finished the season with three home runs. Barnes and had two apiece after each homered in Tuesday's 15-9 loss to the Yankees that forced a deciding game.

Unlike Tuesday's game when the Yankees scored six runs in the first inning to seize command, this time the Dodgers struck first. In the second inning, Barnes tripled and scored when 's pop up dropped in front of the mound and rolled into foul territory.

The Yankees answered with two runs in the bottom of the third and maintained their 2-1 lead until the final inning.

"You guys have practiced hard all season to get here and the way you came back today was great," Dodgers Coach said. "That's why you play until the final out."

The Dodgers beat the Yankees to win the Pinto Division last year as well and Listen  went seven for seven in that two-game series, hitting a ground rule double to lead off the first game.

Two other players who contributed mightily to the Pinto Dodgers' championship last spring played a huge role in winning another championship this year, but with a different team.

Pitcher had seven strikeouts in three innings and scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning for the Tigers, who held off the Red Sox 3-2 to win the Mustang Division (ages 9-10) on Thursday. 

Kallios did the damage with his bat for the Dodgers last year, clouting two homers in the championship series against the Yankees. This year, he used his arm to stifle Red Sox hitters until his team's offense got on track.

In the top of the third, singled to score Tigers teammate to tie the game 1-1. In the fourth, Edwards scored on a hit by to give the Tigers the lead, then Hurley scored from third on a passed ball to make it 3-1.

The Red Sox pulled to within 3-2 on a solo home run to left in the bottom of the fourth, but Edwards tagged a runner out at the plate in the fifth to preserve the Tigers' lead. Hurley kept the potent Red Sox lineup at bay the last three innings.

In the bleachers to cheer the Tigers to victory were boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife Bernadette. Their son Daniel is the team's center fielder. Leonard will replace actor Gavin MacLeod as Pacific Palisades' honorary mayor June 16 at the Chamber of Commerce's annual installation dinner at Riviera Country Club.

"The bottom of the order, from five on down, is what started it today," Tigers Coach told his elated team in the dugout after the game. "It takes everybody contributing to win the championship and each of you did your part."

The Tigers trailed Tuesday's first game 4-3 before rallying for four runs in the sixth inning to win 7-4. The Red Sox had edged the Tigers 2-1 in the winner's bracket, but after that loss the Tigers won five straight on the way to the Mustang championship.

Thursday's Bronco Division (ages 11-12) finale proved to be a showcase for Cubs ace pitcher and leading slugger . After homering in the Cubs' 18-5 victory Tuesday that forced a second game with the Tigers, Starrels hit a three-run homer in the top of the third inning to spark his team's 6-1 victory.

"We came out of the loser's bracket to win the championship," Cubs Coach said. "That says a lot about our team. Jason was incredible. He's the best pitcher in the league."

The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first but managed to score only one run off Cubs starter .

"That was actually a big boost for us," Coach Bowlin said. "Holding them to only run kept us in the game. They had the potential for a big inning and that could've changed everything."

After hits by and in the third, Starrels' towering drive put his team ahead to stay. Enzer pitched two solid innings before giving way to Starrels, who allowed two hits and struck out four over the last three innings.

The Cubs took a 4-1 lead in the fourth when walked, advanced to third on 's single and scored on 's grounder to shortstop.

In the fifth, Goldman doubled and Starrels was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Bowlin to pad the Cubs' lead. He did just that, singling to score both runners and give the underdogs a five-run cushion.

All-Star games in all three divisions will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Field of Dreams complex.

To view more images of Tuesday's PPBA playoff games, please visit photographer Chuck Cohen's website: www.chuckcohenphotography.com.