Sports
Little League Majors TOC: Dixon's Butler Ks 15, Shuts-out Esparto 1-0
Red Sox leave 10 runners on base, but Butler's complete-game gem stifles the Twins and puts Dixon in championship game Sunday.
Matt Butler started Monday’s Majors Tournament of Champions game, put was pulled in just the second inning by his father, Dixon Red Sox coach Andy Butler in favor of Jaret Wedow. The elder Butler said at the time that it was to save the younger Butler to have him start Wednesday’s game against the Esparto Twins, when Wedow wouldn’t be available.
The coach’s strategy worked.
Butler went the distance against the Twins, facing just three batters over the minimum and striking out 15 in a 1-0 shutout victory Wednesday night in Winters. The win puts the Red Sox into the Majors TOC championship game on Sunday.
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“I don’t know if I’m breathing right now,” said the elder Butler after the game. “Matt came through with one of the best pitching performances I’ve ever seen him throw – ever. Matt hit every spot that he was supposed to hit and he used his slider to perfection tonight.”
Butler got all the run support he needed in the top of the first inning.
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Ryan Murphy’s chopper to lead off the game was fielded cleanly by Esparto third baseman Erick Navarro, but the throw to first was off-target, allowing Murphy to reach safely. Michael Raycraft then singled and Jason Dedora drew a full-count walk to load the bases. Joe Jimenez then hit a ground ball to short to allow Murphy to score and put the Red Sox up 1-0.
Twins leadoff batter Zach Harmon reached on an error to start the bottom half of the first inning and later advanced to third. Qualyn Jones then smashed a ground ball to Dedora at shortstop, who gunned out Harmon at the plate. The first inning threat would turn out to be Esparto’s best chance to score in the game.
Butler ended up retiring 15 of the last 17 Twins batters he faced, and allowed just two hits in six innings, but the near-perfect start was what Dixon needed to win.
The Red Sox were stagnant at the plate, managing just four hits and leaving 10 runners on base.
“The team just did not have the bats tonight, and we needed to rely on our defense and our pitching,” said the elder Butler.
Dixon will play the winner of Friday’s Esparto/Winters matchup on Sunday in Winters at 10 a.m. If Dixon wins Sunday, they’ll take the title. If the Red Sox lose, both teams will play again Tuesday in Winters at 7 p.m. in a winner-take-all scenario.
Coach Butler said that the team will still be missing Jaret Wedow’s bat, but looks for someone else to fill his shoes.
“Somebody’s going to have to step up and we’ll see who does it,” he said.
For more information on the District 64 TOC, visit their website
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