Pine Hill Reds win City Series

LYNN – It took two days to complete, but the Pine Hill Reds outlasted the Wyoma A’s 10-7 to capture the 2012 62nd annual Lynn City Little League Series title trophy yesterday at Wyoma. The happy Reds players received Olympic-style gold medals around their necks.Liam Johnston of the Reds overcame a line drive to the shin, a pitched fastball to his back, a loose tooth from a collision, and several more whacks to his body to become the winning pitcher while also slugging a solo homer in the rain-delayed contest.Dionne Rodriguez was the early-game hero with a dramatic three-run home after the well-coached A’s grabbed a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, with rain pouring down, Rodriguez rocked his homer over the right centerfield fence. It landed on the slippery slope behind the fence.The umpires stopped the game soon after and scheduled a continuation yesterday.After the game, the Reds did a victory lap with the trophy, presented to them by District 16 Commissioner Joe Baglieri.Then, Reds manager Pete Dawson used his cell phone to call San Francisco, connecting with Reds first base coach Paul (Lefty) Wennick, who was in the Bay Area watching his son run a marathon over the Golden Gate Bridge.Dawson held the phone out towards his players, who shouted back “We are the City Series champions,” almost stealing a lyric from the group Queen.Wennick’s reply: “You Reds make me, Pine Hill and the City of Lynn proud with your championship achievement.”The Reds had to overcome Wyoma, which was also a champ of its league.A.J. Luciano, son of Wyoma president Tony Luciano, began the series final game with a double off the fence. Zach Elwell singled and Dax Billingsley belted a hit for a run. It was 2-0 for three innings.In the home half of the third, Rodriguez hit his round-tripper. Then, Mike Leavitt walked, and Kevin Durant (known as “Thunder”) brought heavy rain with his double. The game was stopped there for a day.When the inning resumed Sunday, Pine Hill instantly added on two runs thanks to Juvain Delgado’s single for a 5-2 lead.The A’s, led by another solid double by Luciano and a 2-run single by Anthony Nikolakakis, and key hitting by Quinn Brinkler, made it 5-5.Pine Hill went ahead in the fourth with Johnston, now wearing braces to hold in a loose tooth he got in an earlier collision with Leavitt, lofted a home run as the Hillies went back on top.The fifth saw a super bunt by Cesar Correro, a double off the fence by Ysael Martinez, more great batting by catcher Danny Lilja, an intentional walk to Johnston, another clutch hit by Leavitt and a single by Joe Gauthier for a 10-5 lead.Wyoma roared back with two runs in the sixth. Out of the dugout sprang manager Dawson, who is also manager of the Nahant Country Club. Dawson consulted with Johnston, who was tiring. Johnston told his skipper: “Let Josh (Mateo) finish the game.” Mateo, who is Dawson’s grandson, fired the ball with power to nail the final out.After the game, the North Shore Navigators informed the city champion Pine Hill Reds that they would be invited to be honored (and treated to free hot dogs and soda, and a second presentation of the trophy) at an upcoming Navs game at Fraser Field.