*Photo from Marca*
First it was the kids, then the big leaguers played. Keibert Ruiz drove in two runs, Trevor Williams starred on the mound, and the Washington Nationals defeated the Philadelphia Phillies with a 4-3 victory on Sunday in Williamsport.
Between watching the little league world series earlier in the day, landing at the airport and signing autographs the day of, sliding down the famous hill with the little leaguers, and the first pitch relay, it was another successful edition of the annual little league classic.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of the experience that "I’m going to start off by saying I want to come back. What a great experience for the players, for the guys, for our organization. It was unbelievable. A long day, but an unbelievable day. We all had fun. It blew me away. TV doesn’t do it any justice of what it is. I was amazed. It’s all about baseball and passion and watching the kids play with heart. For me, that’s what it’s all about."
The win served as the 7th in 10 games for the Nationals, winning the series against the Phillies and upping their record to 57-68 on the season. They got strong pitching on the mound from Williams and 4 runs in the first inning to take care of business.
Ruiz said of playing in Williamsport that "It's been a really good experience. Being here and getting the opportunity to see these kids, I was there when I was 12 years old. That’s the best age to play baseball, I think. You just have a lot of fun, and it’s really special to be here with all these kids."
In the first inning, it was in fact Ruiz who got the scoring started. He doubled to right field for his 19th double of the season, scoring Lane Thomas and CJ Abrams to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead. Ruiz and Joey Meneses would then come in to score on a two run single by Dominic Smith, which made it 4-0 Nationals.
The score stayed that way until the 9th inning. Brandon Marsh got the Phillies on the board, hitting an RBI single to center field, making it 4-1 as Bryson Stott crossed the plate. With Marsh on base, Jake Cave came up with a big hit, cutting the Phillies deficit to 4-3 with a two run home run to right field. The Nationals held on from there.
Abrams said after the game that "It was a lot of fun. Growing up, watching Little League and actually getting to go to the field, it’s actually a lot more exciting than you think it is. And all the kids out there having fun, it kind of turns me into a little kid, too, brings me back to those days. Just a great day all around."
Williams took the mound for the Nationals, pitching 6 shutout innings while allowing two hits and walking 3 hitters. Jordan Weems pitched a scoreless 7th inning before Hunter Harvey did the same in the 8th. Mason Thompson allowed two runs in the 9th, forcing Kyle Finnegan in to get the save.
Getting the start for the Phillies was Zack Wheeler, who got the loss with 4 runs on 7 hits and one walk, striking out 5 hitters in 7 innings pitched, dropping to 9-6 on the season. Luis F Ortiz pitched a scoreless 8th inning out of the bullpen.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of the series loss that "We've just got to dust ourselves off and get after it tomorrow, because it is a big series. You win that series, you put a little distance between yourself and San Francisco. They've got a good club and they're right on our heels."
The Phillies return home on Monday to face the San Francisco Giants, with Aaron Nola taking the mound. The Nationals return to action with a road matchup against the New York Mets on Tuesday, with Josiah Gray getting the start.
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