Kellermann-Strauss Forum » Thomas hit a wedge from 75 yards to 2 1/2

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Now that was more like it, manager Rick Tibbett said after watching his Chula Vista, Calif., team put on a home run show at the Little League World Series on Sunday. Jake Espinoza, Micah Pietila-Wiggs, Michael Gaines and Grant Holman all homered in a mercy rule-shortened 15-3 victory over Newark, Del. Holman capped an eight-run fourth inning, by hitting the first pitch he faced over the fence in centre for a game-ending grand slam. It was a significant reversal after the Californians needed an extra inning to pull out a 3-0 victory over Grosse Pointe, Mich., in their series opener. "Thats what we do best," Tibbett said, of a team that averaged 11 runs in six games to clinch the West championship. And he certainly wasnt concerned after his team trailed Newark 2-0 after the top of the first inning. "Yeah, two runs is not going to keep us down. It just doesnt," Tibbett said. "Normally, we score 8-10 runs a game. It didnt bother us one bit." Chula Vista (2-0) advanced to play Westport, Conn. (2-0), on Wednesday. And they werent the only ones that made quick work of their opponents. Mexico improved to 2-0 with a 13-0 four-inning win over Aguadulce, Panama, (1-1). "They hit everything we threw at them -- fastballs, curveballs and change-ups," Panama manager Luis Gonzalez said through an interpreter. "They are a very good team." The outcome was much tighter for the two other teams who remained undefeated. Westport built a 9-2 lead through four innings, and hung on for a 9-7 win over Sammamish, Wash. Tokyo, Japan, gave up two unearned runs in the final inning, before securing a 3-2 win over Taoyuan, Taiwan. That means, Mexico will face Japan on Wednesday. Sammamish will play Newark, and Panama will meet Canada in must-win games Monday. Newark coach John Ludman was pleased with his teams start against Chula Vista on Jack Hardcastles two-out, two-run double. "We really felt good after the top of the first, and even after the first when they scored a couple of runs," Ludman said. Trouble was, the Californians were just getting started. After Espinoza hit a two-run homer in the first to tie the game at 2, Pietila-Wiggs hit a three-run shot in the second inning. Gaines hit a solo home run as part of a two-run third. And then the floodgates opened in the fourth. Though there were concerns that the mound at Volunteer Stadium was too slick, Ludman wouldnt blame that on the games outcome. "I dont want to make excuses," Ludman said. "They smoked us and thats the bottom line." That doesnt mean there wasnt a problem with the mound. And Tibbett also complained of it being slick, and forcing starter Nick Mora to adjust his motion. Ludman was forced to pull his starter, Hardcastle. He said he was advised by a trainer that by slipping on his plant foot, Hardcastle was putting pressure on his Achilles tendon. In the earlier game, Westport, Conn., nearly squandered a 7-0 lead before Alex Reiner shined in relief to preserve the 9-7 win over Sammamish, Wash. After the Northwest champions scored twice in the fourth inning and four more times in the fifth, Reiner stopped a sixth-inning threat by striking out Jack Rud to end the game and stranding two base runners. "Just a big sigh of relief knowing we got the game and are going to the U.S. semifinal," Reiner said. Westport appeared in full control, building a 9-2 lead in the fourth inning. Thats when manager Tim Rogers elected to rest starter Harry Azadian. "If you want to make a run at the tournament, you have to manage your pitching," Rogers said. "We knew we werent going to shut them out. We didnt pitch with the accuracy we normally do." The move nearly back-fired. "The last three innings felt like it took four hours," Rogers said. "It was painful." Sammamish had pitching troubles early in having to overcome the loss of ace Jacob Dahlstrom. He sustained a deep bruise and did not return after a line drive struck him in the right knee in the second inning. Charlie Roof, Max Popken, Chad Knight and Azadian each delivered run-scoring hits. JAPAN 3, TAIWAN 2 Takuma Gomi was pleased to provide some insurance, padding Tokyos lead to 3-0 with a two-run shot in the top of the sixth. "I was only thinking about what I could do for the team, and hope it would lead to the team winning," Gomi said. They certainly came in handy. Taiwan scored twice in its final at-bats, both on errant throws. After giving up a run on a wild pitch, reliever Kyousuke Kobayashi got Chen-Hsun Lee to fly to centre for the final out with a runner on first. Japan opened the scoring in the second inning, when Dai Okada hit an RBI double. "It was a tough game," Tokyo manager Masumi Omae said. "The kids seemed nervous, and you could feel some of the parents being nervous in the crowd." It certainly appeared that way. While Taiwan supporters were chanting and cheering their support in the bottom of the sixth, the usually exuberant Japanese supporters were mostly quiet behind the third-base dugout. MEXICO 13, PANAMA 0 Ramon Mendoza hit two of Tijuanas five home runs against Aguadulce. Brandon Montes homered on the fifth pitch of the game, and Mexico broke open the game with a five-run second inning -- keyed by Mendozas grand slam. Martin Gonzalez and Saul Favela homered in the third inning as Mexico extended its lead to 10-0. Mendozas second homer of the game, this time a two-run blast, capped the scoring in the fourth. Mendoza finished the game with six RBIs. Luis Manzo tossed a one-hitter for the victory. He struck out three, walked one and hit three batters. Jean Mar Sanchez had the lone hit for Panama, a single to open the first inning. Cheap MLB Jerseys . "Hopefully well get all this out of the way," he said, "and everyone will be healthy the rest of the year." Zimmerman was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday and is expected to miss between four to six weeks. Cheap George Springer Jersey . - Jason Day and Cameron Tringale shot an 8-under 64 on Friday in modified alternate-shot play to increase their lead to three strokes in the Franklin Templeton Shootout. http://www.cheapastrosjerseys.com/?tag=c...-bagwell-jersey. Pace had a career-high 10 sacks for Rex Ryans defence-- second only to Muhammad Wilkersons 10 1/2 -- in his sixth season with the Jets. The 33-year-old outside linebacker was an unrestricted free agent. Cheap Brian McCann Jersey . No surprise there. Kershaw, who also earned the title after throwing his first career no-hitter in June, had a 1. Cheap Evan Gattis Jersey . -- Victor Bernardez tied the game with his second goal in the 95th minute and the San Jose Earthquakes drew 3-3 with Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Justin Thomas won the Nationwide Childrens Hospital Championship on Sunday for his first Web.com Tour title, beating Richard Sterne with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. Thomas hit a wedge from 75 yards to 2 1/2 feet to set up his winning birdie on the par-4 18th. Sterne blew a late three-stroke lead, then missed a birdie putt in the playoff after leaving his approach 20 feet short. I just tried to stay patient today and you have to do that here, Thomas said. I dont want to say its a relief to win, but its hard to win with the level of play out here. ... It means youre the best that week and you beat everybody you played against. Its a really cool feeling and its tough because it doesnt happen very often, especially in professional golf. Playing the four-event Web.com Tour Finals for PGA Tour priority after wrapping up a tour card with a top-25 finish on the Web.com regular-season money list, Thomas earned $180,000 to jump from fifth to third with $470,470 with one event left. The 21-year-old former Alabama player shot a 1-under 70 to match Sterne at 6-under 278 on Ohio States Scarlet Course. Its crazy, Thomas said. I feel like of all the chances I had, its crazy how this one kind of worked out, but sometimes thats how it happens. I believe everything happens for a reason and it just happened to be my week. Thomas, from Louisville, Kentucky, also earned a spot next year in the Memorial Tournament at nearby Muirfield Village. He was the 2012 college player of the year as a freshman and led the Crimson Tide to the 2013 NCAA title. Sterne, from South Africa, bogeyed Nos. 15-17 and parred the 18th for a 70. Sidelined for four months after hip surgery in March, the six-time European Tour wwinner and 2013 Presidents Cup player was playing for the 10th straight week.dddddddddddd He three-putted the par-4 15th to start the slide. I struggled all day to roll the 30-, 40-footers up close and I came up short couple times. I thought, This time, just give it a little bit more. And it rolled on 5, 6 feet past, Sterne said. That was the first short putt I missed all day. Sterne earned $108,000 for a Finals total of $111,800, more than enough for a PGA Tour card. He got a spot in the series as a non-PGA Tour member who would have been between 126th and 200th in the PGA Tours FedEx Cup standings. Sean OHair (67) and South Koreas Whee Kim (69) tied for third at 5 under. The top 25 players on the Web.com regular-season money list are competing against each other for PGA Tour priority, with regular-season earnings counting in their totals and the final leader getting a spot in The Players Championship. Mexicos Carlos Ortiz, already fully exempt on the PGA Tour as a three-time Web.com winner this season, leads the list with $515,403. Canadas Adam Hadwin, the Chiquita Classic winner last week, is second with $499,667. The other players -- Nos. 26-75 from the Web.com money list and Nos. 126-200 in the FedEx Cup standings -- are fighting for another 25 cards based on their earnings in the four tournaments. If a player from the top 25 on the Web.com regular-season list leads the series but doesnt top the Web.com list, he will cross over to the Finals list and get a full exemption. Hadwin tops the standings with $206,000, Thomas is second with $193,833, and Hotel Fitness Championship winner Bud Cauley is third at $180,000. The Web.com Tour Championship is next week in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. ' ' '