Alonso, Black combine to toss Giants to shutout win over A's

By Dick Sparrer

No one has figured out a way to stop the A's in the major division of the Los Gatos Little League this season.

No one, that is, until Kiko Alonso and Ryan Black came up with a plan last week.

Alonso and Black figured out that if the A's didn't score any runs, they couldn't win. So the two teamed up to toss a 2-hit shutout to lead the Giants to a 4-0 win, tagging the A's with their first loss of the season.

Alonso, just a 10-year-old, went three innings to get the win, blanking the A's on just one hit. Black matched that performance over the final three frames to nail down the save for the Giants.

Alonso singled in the second inning, took second and third on a couple of wild pitches and scored on an infield out by Teddy Fagin for the only run the Giants really needed. The winners picked up an insurance run in the third when Alex Zanotto walked and scored on a double by Will Kapp.

The win was one of three on the week for the Giants, who improved from 3-6 to 6-6 in the league race.

Black tossed three strong innings to get the win in a 10-6 victory over the Tigers to open the week. Black struck out seven in his stint.

Alonso singled and tripled for the giants and Evan Bolton singled twice and walked twice. Black ripped a double.

Chris LaBouff had two hits for the Tigers.

The Giants came back on Saturday with another 10-6 win over the Tigers. Alonso threw three innings to get the win, allowing just a run on one hit while fanning five. He was also 3-for-4 with a double.

Fagin had three hits in the win and Kapp singled and belted a solo home run in the fifth. Kapp knocked in three runs for the Giants.

Mitch Benedetti doubled and homered to drive in three runs for the Tigers.

The A's, still atop the pack with a 10-1 record, rebounded from the loss to the Giants with a 10-3 win over the Red Sox. Kyle Blair tossed three shutout innings for the win, striking out five and allowing just two hits.

John Gallien had three hits, including a clutch two-run single in the fifth. Nick Kalpine ripped a three-run homer in the fifth, when the A's unloaded for six runs. Nick Ellis belted a solo homer in the sixth and Blair had two hits.

Craig Olsen had two hits for the Red Sox and Garrett Blackwell doubled.

The Braves won two games last week, beating the Marlins 7-2 and pounded the Cubs 18-4, before dropping a tough 6-5 nod to the Cubbies on Saturday.

Eric McDonald and Daniel Norvelle combined to toss the Braves to the 7-2 win over the Marlins. McDonald gave up just a run in the first three innings, and Norvelle allowed a single run while striking out seven over the final three.

Ryan Honda had two hits, including a clutch two-run single in a three-run first-inning rally, and McDonald doubled home two runs in a four-run second.

Colby Moore had two hits for the Marlins.

Honda doubled and singled twice and Norvelle singled and doubled to lead the Braves to an 18-4 win over the Cubs. Steve Zavodnick singled and scored four runs in the win, and McDonald added two hits and also picked up the pitching win.

The Cubs came back to beat the Braves in extra innings on Saturday. The clubs were locked in a 4-4 after six innings, but the Cubs scored two in the seventh and the Braves could get just one back in the bottom of the inning.

Wes Howell came on in relief to pick up the win, striking out the final two hitters with the bases loaded. Tim Sweeney and K.C. Silva each threw three strong innings for the Cubs, and both were involved in the winning rally in the seventh.

Silva doubled with one out and raced all the way around to score when Sweeney reached on an error. Sweeney ultimately scored on a sacrifice fly by Howell.

Paul Politi scored three runs in the win and Caleb Larson had a big two-run single in the first inning.

Chad Manning had three hits for the Braves.

Sean Wasserman and Nick Schradle each threw three innings and Patrick Brogan had two hits to lead the Cardinals to a 6-5 win over the Marlins. Danny Wall tripled and J.A. DeBeer doubled in the win.

Tyler Plane had three hits in the loss and Joe Defever and Ben Hintz had two apiece. Joey Donofrio threw four strong innings for the Marlins.

Plane tossed four innings of no-hit, no-run baseball to lead the Marlins to a 7-1 win over the Cards on Saturday. Ten different Marlins had singles in the win, including a run-scoring single by Travis Bonner in the fourth, a two-run single by Defever in the fourth and a run-scoring double by Matt Petrillo in the fifth.

Niki Chow singled and scored a run in the sixth for the Cardinals.

Bricklin Foley flipped three shutout innings to start the Yankees on the road to an 8-0 win over the Indians. Stephen Krach was 3-for-3, scoring three runs and knocking in four more, and he also tossed the last two innings in the win. Jake Jensen threw one frame for the Yanks.

Los Gatos Little League major division standings (as of May 5)-- A's 10-1, Cardinals 7-5, Indians 7-5, Yankees 7-5, Braves 7-5, Marlins 5-7, Tigers 4-8, Giants 6-6, Red Sox 3-8, Cubs 3-9.

Home run leaders-- Riley Curran (Indians) 3, Nick Kalpine (A's) 3, Kyle Blair (A's) 2.

LGLL sponsors needed

The Los Gatos Little League is looking for businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring teams for the 2001 season.

The league season is already under way with more than 800 boys and girls from the community participating in the program. Sponsorships are $150 for T-ball, $250 for the minor division and $500 for the major division.

For more information, call Mark Carlquist at 408.354.1955.

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