SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — An ice pack strapped around Jesus Sauceda’s potent right shoulder slipped down into his jersey, interrupting a post-game interview.
It was about the only thing Sunday that went wrong for the 13-year-old ace pitcher for Matamoros, Mexico. Sauceda pitched the fifth perfect game in Little League World Series history and the first in 29 years when he struck out all 12 batters in a 12-0 win over Emilia, Italy.
The game went four innings instead of the usual six because of Little League’s 10-run mercy rule.
“To be honest with you, I wasn’t expecting this,” Sauceda said through translator Sergio Guzman. He proudly displayed the ball that was the final pitch on a table.
“I was just going out there to throw.”
Did he ever. Italian batters were overmatched and Sauceda starred at the plate, too, going 3-for-3 with six RBI, including a grand slam in the third.
“The speed of that pitcher doesn’t exist in Italy,” Italian manager Andrea Bettati said, shaking his head.
Vocal fans, including 24 members of Sauceda’s family, cheered and held up a large Mexican flag while Sauceda’s teammates surrounded him and patted his head. Fans held up 12 placards with the letter “K” for each of his strikeouts.
Sauceda never dreamed about such a scene. “I have dreamed of being a hero of one of the games, maybe winning the World Series eventually, but not such a great game all along,” he said.
The last perfect game at the World Series was thrown by Taiwan’s Chao-An Chen in 1979. Sauceda’s gem also came 51 years after Angel Macias of Monterrey, Mexico, threw a perfect game to win the Little League World Series championship.
Louisiana 9, Indiana 0: Trey Quinn starred on the mound for unbeaten Louisiana. Indiana was the victim of a no-hitter a day after one of their pitchers, Drew Ellis, threw a no-hitter and lost.
Quinn helped himself with his glove when a line drive hit him on the left wrist and bounced away before he recovered to throw out the runner.
Japan 9, Canada 3: Takumi Ozeki struck out eight and had a two-run homer as Japan moved to 2-0 in pool play. Connor Kenwood drove in two runs with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth for winless Canada before the late rally fell through.
During the game, Little League used its new replay system for home runs or other close calls at the outfield fence to review a foul ball down the left-field line in the second inning.
Venezuela 12, Saudi Arabia 0: Aroldo Sanchez tossed four shutout innings and had three RBI, and Gustavo Perdomo homered as Venezuela clinched a berth in the international semifinals. The win also allowed Japan to advance to the next round.
Hawaii 10, Florida 2: Tanner Tokunaga hit a grand slam and reliever Trevor Ling settled Hawaii down on the mound after a shaky first inning. Ryan McCullers and Michael McGuire each scored for Florida on wild pitches by starter Khade Paris.
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