Dodgers Capture AAA Little League Title

The Dodgers opened the season in first place and never looked back, according to Little League coach Ben Russell. On Wednesday night, the 10- to 12-year-old team won the Minor AAA Championship in Peabody.

Russell said the Dodgers jumped out to an early 4-2 lead on the Giants after four strong innings from starting pitcher Sean Letarte. Letarte surrendered just five hits and three walks before passing the ball off to Kyle Morfis in the fifth.

With the top of the Giants' batting order up with the hot-hitting Justin DiTomaso (three for three and a walk) and Ryan Fera (two for four), Morfis gave up four runs and the lead, allowing the Giants to surge to 6-4. Giants' pitcher Peter Holmes also kept the Dodgers at bay until the bottom of the sixth, Russell said.

The Dodgers then came back with the heart of their lineup, however, seeing a double by Morfis and a single from Letarte to put the Dodgers' winning run on second. Clutch hitter Michael Sabino then came to bat, said Russell.

Sabino pulled through again, as he had days before, to deliver the game-winning double to score Letarte from second base. The Dodgers captured the AAA title, 7-6.