Jorge Mateo's bases-loaded double in eighth lifts O's to win in LL Classic (updated)

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – It was certainly not another breakout game for the Orioles offense like when they scored 15 on Friday, but all wins count the same. And the Orioles got an important one tonight in the fifth annual Little League Classic.

After scoring twice in the first, their offense was dormant until the eighth tonight. Boston pitching then opened the door for a rally, and shortstop Jorge Mateo kicked it in as the Orioles beat the Red Sox 5-3.

The O's came to bat in the eighth tied 2-2 and Matt Barnes walked Ramón Urías with one out. Righty John Schreiber came on and he hit Austin Hays and walked Rougned Odor to hand the O's a bases-loaded rally.

Mateo then smoked a 2-1 sinker down the left-field line for a three-run double. The ball had 101 mph exit velocity and was a huge hit for Mateo, who was batting .287 his last 42 games. 

Hoping to ride out a 2-1 win on the strength of first-inning runs, the O's were tied up 2-2 on a pinch-hit homer by Boston in the top of the eighth.

Right-hander Dillon Tate had retired all five batters he faced over the sixth and seventh innings, and manager Brandon Hyde had him start the Boston eighth. But Franchy Cordero, added today as Boston's 27th man, homered to left on a 3-1 sinker and Boston tied the score with its first run since the second inning. 

Tonight's attendance was a sold out 2,467 at historic Bowman Field, home of the Williamsport Crosscutters of the MLB Draft League. 

The Orioles (63-58), who have had their issues scoring runs early in games recently, did not have that issue tonight. They scored twice in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead.

The first two O’s reached on singles, and both Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman scored. Mullins singled on a grounder to left, and Rutschman’s flare to left popped out of the glove of Tommy Pham, who charged in and made a diving attempt at the ball. Batting third, Anthony Santander singled to center for a 1-0 lead. A line out and strikeout followed, but with two outs, an infield single by Urías made it a 2-0 lead. He hit a 3-2 cutter from righty Nick Pivetta up the middle and drove in his 45^th run for the two-run lead.

Boston pulled within a run in the top of the second. Rafael Devers led off with a single, moved to second on a walk and scored on a Kiké Hernández two-out single. That made it a 2-1 game.

After the early runs, the O’s offense went again quiet. Until Mateo's huge double. 

O's right-hander Dean Kremer was doing another solid job in his start, allowing five hits and one run over 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and fanned four, throwing 80 pitches. 

Kremer got some nice defense to get out of the first scoreless. He allowed a leadoff double, but with one out Xander Bogaerts lined to third base and Urías turned it into an unassisted double play.

Kremer stranded a runner at second in the fourth and pitched a 1-2-3 fifth with two strikeouts on 13 pitches. He walked Pham to leadoff the third and faced one more batter, getting Alex Verdugo to fly out. Hyde then went to the 'pen to have Tate face two of Boston’s best bats. He got Bogaerts to fly out and Devers to ground out to end the sixth ahead 2-1.

Hyde perhaps made a preemptive strike as Kremer this year allows an OPS against of .951 on pitches 76 through 100. But he gave up just the one run tonight, allowing two earned runs or less for the eighth time in 14 starts. Tate followed up by getting those two key outs in the sixth, pitching a scoreless, 1-2-3 top of the seventh. But the Cordero homer marred his outing and tied the game. 

Bogaerts led off the ninth with his 10th homer, and it came off Félix Bautista to account for the final margin. 

The Orioles announced during the eighth inning tonight that Mullins will play for Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. And MLB announced tonight that the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies will meet in the 2023 Little League Classic in what will be a Nats home game. 

The Orioles improved to 12-7 in August and 7-5 against Boston. With the win they remain 2 1/2 games behind for the third American League wild card spot. 

A few postgames quotes:

Hyde on the day and the win: “What a special day. Started off this morning and just going to the Little League facility and seeing all the Orioles fans and baseball fans and watching those kids play and interacting with them was a lot of fun. Really happy with how we played. I thought Dean Kremer was really good and our bullpen held on. Huge hit by Jorge Mateo. He’s been so good lately and it’s fun to watch him play.”

Hyde on pulling it out late again: “Unfortunately we gave up a homer there to tie it and that hurt. Our guys, when we came off the field, I was worried about some deflation. But right away, guys were supporting each other. And our guys were really into it in the dugout. It’s a real team atmosphere going on.”

Mateo on the bases-clearing double, through team interpreter Brandon Quinones: "That was a really special moment for me. It was cool to see the kids get excited and really enjoy that moment and cherish it. It reminded me of my own childhood. Meant a lot to me."

Rutschman on interacting with the kids during the day: "It was a cool thing. Just seeing the whole setup that they had the day. You could tell some of the kids were nervous and you should be at 12 years old. I though it was cool to have that (autograph) reciprocated. Have them feel what it feels like to sign something I guess."