With an excellent pitching performance from Joaquin Tejada and timely offense, Latin America sailed past Mexico 10-2 in the opening game of the 2016 Little League World Series.
Tejada gave up just two unearned runs in 4.1 innings of one-hit baseball, earning the victory in a close game that turned into a rout thanks to a five-run sixth inning for Latin America, who advanced into the winner's bracket. Mexico's Victor Juarez knocked out Mexico's only two hits while pitching five innings, giving up five runs but striking out twelve. Carlos Gonzalez and Esmith Pineda both rapped two hits for the victors.
Latin America strikes first with 4-run third inning
After two scoreless innings dominated by the pitchers, Latin America finally got through to Juarez in the third frame. Juarez had struck out four batters over two frames, Latin America's only baserunner coming on a dropped third strike. However, Mexico had much of the same luck against Tejada, as the game rolled into the third inning, tied 0-0. Another dropped third strike started the rally for Panama, the Latin American champion. A walk after the strikeout but two runners on and nobody out, but Juarez rallied for two straight strikeouts to calm the threat. Needing just one out to kill the rally, Juarez gave up the first two hits of the ballgame. Gonzalez lined a single to left field, just barely scoring the first run of the game. Trying to limit the damage, Juarez got the worst possible result, as Pineda drove the Mexican hurler's offering on a line over the center field fence for a 4-0 Latin America lead. Juarez induced an inning-ending popout, but the damage had been done.
Mexico halves the deficit
After another hitless inning for Mexico's offense, Juarez gave himself some support in the bottom of the fourth inning, taking advantage of the lone error from Latin America's defense by lining a double into deep center field. Juarez came around to score later when the Panama defense attempted to throw a runner out at second on a first and third double steal play. However, that offense was all the Mexicans would get, and it would not be enough, as Latin America was not yet done.
Latin America pulls away for the victory
Locked in a tight 4-2 ballgame after four innings, Latin America scored six times in the final two innings to turn it into a laugher. Juarez was on the mound for only one of those runs, which came in the fifth frame. A single and dropped third strike put runners on the corners for the leading Latin American team, which used a run-scoring double play to extend their lead to three runs. Juarez exited the game after his five innings of work, setting the stage for a rough sixth inning for Mexico's pitching and defense. An error started the rally that allowed Latin America to ice the game in the final inning. A wild pitch scored one run, but Mexico, much like the third inning, had an opportunity to limit the damage to a single run, but Latin America scored once more with two outs. Consecutive two-run singles, including one off the bat of Gonzalez, to make a 6-2 game a 10-2 lead for Latin America.
Mexico will play either Europe-Africa or Australia, whichever squad loses that first round game. Latin America gets the winner of the same game.