Cody Walker hit a two-run homer off ace Go Matsumoto and Kyle Carter struck out 11 as Columbus, Georgia, beat Kawaguchi City, Japan, 2-1 to win the Little League World Series final on Monday.
It was the second straight US victory in the Series, coming on the heels of Ewa Beach, Hawaii's win over a team from Willemstad, Curacao last year. The US hadn't captured back-to-back Little League titles with different teams since 1982-83.
Long Beach, California was a repeat champion in 1992-93 -- the first victory awarded after a Philippines squad was stripped of the title for using over-age players.
PHOTO: AP
Matsumoto had devastated hitters in this tournament with his powerful fastball. It was potent again for him on Monday, except for Walker's shot in the third inning that followed a baserunning blunder.
Carter overcame a bout of wildness in the sixth and final inning. With two runners on, he got Ryoya Sato to hit a weak bouncer to Josh Lester at second for the last out of the game.
Columbus players rushed toward Lester, skipping up and down in celebration and tossing their gloves to the sky.
PHOTO: AP
Then they posed on the mound for a group picture with a banner that proclaimed them "World Series Champions" as their gloves were strewn across the infield.
Columbus' rally was nearly thwarted by Carter's mistake on the bases.
Carter took off from first on Lester's single to center but didn't heed the stop sign thrown by manager Randy Morris at third. He was nailed at home for the second out, sliding into the catcher's shin guards well short of the plate.
PHOTO: AP
It didn't matter, because Walker then hit his opposite-field shot over the right field fence. Lester pumped his fist as he rounded third, and Morris got so excited as Walker circled the bases that his hat fell off. Jubilant teammates greeted Walker at the plate.
Japan is known for its power hitting, having hit 11 homers in its first five games of the Series, including four by Seigo Yada and two by Matsumoto. The international champions used small ball to score their only run in the third inning on Monday.
Yada hit a one-out bouncer into center. Pinch-hitter Yusuke Inuzuka missed on two bunt attempts but advanced Yada to second with a slow grounder down the third-base line.
Matsumoto, who struck out nine and walked two, followed with a high chopper up the middle that drove in Yada.
Rain forced the title game to be pushed back from Sunday, and organizers then moved the starting time ahead by three hours after weather forecasts showed another chance of rain in the evening.
American League
AP, CLEVELAND
Grady Sizemore homered, doubled twice and scored three runs to help Paul Byrd bounce back from a brutal outing, lifting the Cleveland Indians over the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 on Monday.
Sizemore leads the AL with 75 extra-base hits, two more than Boston's David Ortiz. Ryan Garko added a pair of RBI doubles off A.J. Burnett (6-6) as the Indians improved to a major league-best 14-5 since Aug. 9.
Mariners 2, Angels 0
At Seattle, Felix Hernandez (11-12) pitched a five-hitter for his first career shutout, stopping Seattle's 20-game losing streak against the AL West.
Hernandez threw 95 pitches, struck out four and walked none in his second complete game in 38 major league starts. The game took just 1 hour, 51 minutes, the fastest in the history of Safeco Field, which opened in July 1999.
Athletics 9, Red Sox 0
At Oakland, California, Frank Thomas hit his 476th home run, Nick Swisher connected three batters later and Esteban Loaiza (8-7) completed a perfect August by allowing five hits in seven innings to win his fourth straight decision.
Pinch-hitter Adam Melhuse hit a two-run homer in the eighth, and Bobby Kielty and Jay Payton each drove in two runs for the AL West-leading A's, who increased their division lead to 6 1/2 games over the Los Angeles Angels.
National League
AP, NEW YORK
Carlos Delgado, David Wright and Paul Lo Duca drove in two runs apiece and the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-3 on Monday for their ninth win in 10 games.
John Maine (4-3) allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings for the Mets, who opened a season-high 15 1/2-game lead over the second-place Phillies in the National League East.
Marlins 4, Brewers 2
At Miami, Josh Johnson (12-6) lowered his major league-leading ERA to 2.87, and Florida extended its winning streak to eight.
Dan Uggla hit his 20th homer and added a sacrifice fly for the Marlins (64-66), who had not been within two games of .500 since they were 1-3.
Pirates 11, Cubs 6
At Pittsburgh, Freddy Sanchez had three hits to raise his NL-leading batting average to .349.
Chris Duffy had three hits, three runs, two RBIs and a stolen base, and Ronny Paulino had three hits and two RBIs for Pittsburgh, which got 15 hits in the first five innings, took a 9-1 lead and stopped a three-game losing streak. The Pirates finished with 19 hits.
Diamondbacks 7, Padres 4
At Phoenix, pitching one day after the death of a close friend in a Kentucky plane crash, Brandon Webb (14-5) allowed three runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings,
Webb tied Chicago's Carlos Zambrano for most victories in the NL. Eric Byrnes, moved from leadoff to cleanup in the Arizona batting order, was 4-for-5 and drove in four runs.
Dodgers 6, Reds 5
At Los Angeles, Russell Martin hit a two-run homer and Jason Repko had a two-run single as Los Angeles built a 6-1 lead.
Andre Ethier also had three hits and Jeff Kent added an RBI double.
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Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
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