RED SOX OR ATHLETICS

GIANTS TAKE SECOND STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP-Click headline for full story and Giants' team photo. Top row (l-r) John Wilkeson, Chris Laforge, Marty Beeden, Greg Kelm, Keith Buck, Scott Woronick Bottom row (l-r) Bob Mil, Carlo Dominguez, Aron Friedman, Patrick Mullin (mgr), Dwayne Cabral, Mike Barrella John Wilkeson’s long, bases loaded single with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning scored the winning run as the Giants repeated as 18AA champions. The team played as Team USA and beat the same Yankees’ team in the spring 2002 title game. Wilkeson crushed a fast ball from reliever Joe Bennett to the fence in left center, scoring Scott Simzer with the deciding tally. Simzer, Carlo Dominguez and Bob Mil all drew walks off losing pitcher Yo Perez in the tenth, bringing on Bennett in relief. The Yankees had scored four times in the ninth inning to send the game into extra frames. The Giants appeared well on their way to an easy victory behind starting pitcher Mike Barrella who tossed five no-hit innings while his team built a 7-0 lead. Chris Laforge singled home a run in the first inning, and the Giants scored an unearned run in the second on a walk and two errors by the Yankees. They added two more runs (both unearned) in the third on Dwayne Cabral’s RBI single and a run producing double by Scott Woronick. Then, in the fifth they dded three more on singles by Keith Buck and Cabral, a sacrifice fly by Woronick, a passed ball and Barrella’s RBI single. The Yankees launched their comeback with four runs in the sixth to make it 7-3. Simzer led off off the sixth with a double, the first hit off Barrella. He moved to third on a single by Bennett, and both scored on Pat Testa’s double. Skipper Rico Perez plated the third Yankees’ tally with a sacrifice fly. Yo Perez followed with a single and stolen base, but was left stranded at second base. Trailing 7-3 going to the ninth, the Yankees rallied to tie it at 7-7. Rico Perez led off with a single, Yo Perez was safe on an error. Tony Rodriguez singled, but Rico was thrown out at the plate on a perfect throw by left fielder Wilkeson. Gabe Rodriguez singled to score Yo and Herb Robb followed with a single. The Giants brought in Cabral in relief, and he was unable to pin it down as an infield error scored one run and a passed ball that allowed Robb to score knotted the count at 7-7. Cabral eventually picked up the win after retiring the side with two strikeouts in the tenth and watching his team rally to win it in the bottom half. Gabe Rodriguez started and went 5 1/3 for the Yankees, and was charged with five runs, only two of them earned. Mike Castelluccio went 2/3 in relief, yielding fourhits and two runs. Yo took over the sixth and pitched 4 2/3 innings of no-hit relief, although issuing six walks, including three in the deciding tenth inning. Wilkeson, with the game winning RBI, a walk, two steals and an outfield assist, was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player and will receive a personally inscribed NABA MVP plaque at a later date. Cabral was the only player with more than one hit. He had two singles and batted in a run. Wilkeson, Laforge and Barrella had RBI singles, Woronick an RBI double and sac. Fly, with Buck, and Mil getting one hit apiece. Eight different Yankees had hits, including Simzer and Testa with doubles, and Rico Perez, Tony Rodriguez, Gabe Rodriguez, Bennett, Robb and Yo notching singles.