The Orioles completed a remarkable come from behind Little League Championship win with a 7-4 victory over the Yankees in game 3. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Kennard Dawson scored the go ahead run in the 5th inning to give the Orioles the edge at a crucial stage. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/ VINO

Nashantae Smith scored the game’s final run with a triple and an interference call as he reached home plate via deep drive to centre field. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The Orioles are the 2013 Little League Baseball Champions. Photo credit: Charlie E. Jackson/ VINO

Dawson broke open a 4-4 game in the bottom of the 5th with his line drive off Fernando Cedano which saw him reach 3rd and then snuck home on a wild pitch to score the go ahead run. Malik Malone then walked and stole 2nd as Nashantae Smith took a 2-1 count.

Malone stole 3rd and then Smith hit to deep centre field, scoring Malone to make it 6-4 and also reaching home plate himself with a triple and the umpire calling interference on him as he attempted a home run.

Bradwick Evans nearly added to the run fest when he tripled down the left hand foul line, but Rakeel Jack struck out swinging as did Stephen Emmanuel to end the inning.

Facing a do or die 6th inning, the Yankees led off with Jonathon Jackson who was struck out by Evans, Kadeem Pena also struck out swinging and the game was wrapped up when K J Thompson also failed to connect on Evans.

In just 2 ½ innings after relieving Smith, who reached his maximum pitch count and had 9 strike outs, Evans struck out 6, to claim the win.

Fernando Cedano struck out 8 having taken over from Manuel Rivera in the 3rd, but was accredited with the loss.

At the top of that 3rd inning, the Orioles had seen their 4-2 lead wiped out when Cedano hit a triple via a fielder’s error and came home to make it 4-3 on a single by Angel Reyes. Reyes then leveled the game at 4 – 4 when he took advantage of two errors at 2nd and 3rd to score.

The Orioles couldn’t add to their score in the bottom of the 3rd as Cedano sat down Malone, had Smith out at 1st and Evans out with a swing and a miss.

Alonso Potter and Shomari Robinson became strikes number 8 and 9 for Smith at the top of the 4th before he was relieved by Evans who ended the inning by sitting down Cedano, leaving Thompson stranded at 3rd.

Cedano though had some good velocity from the mound and he made short work of the Orioles line up, sitting down Rakeel Jack, Dawson and Smith to reach 5 strike outs in quick time.

It looked like Reyes would give the Yankees the lead at the top of the 5th when he hit to the centre right wall, but his celebration was brought up short as he was tagged out before reaching home. Seemingly deflated by what should have been the go ahead run, both Manny Rivera and Mickey Jones were struck out in quick succession.

Coach Raymond “Chi Chi” Fonseca was understandably very proud of his team who had come from behind to win the Championship 2-1. “I’m very proud of them; they worked hard for this one and were the underdogs. They worked hard though and improved in each game,” he exclaimed, adding “we were seeing their pitcher (Cedano) much better and able to make hits. My closer Evans is not fancy, but he gets the ball over the plate and down. I was hoping Smith would pitch the whole game, but he reached his count and Evans, who I call the “Goose”, did his job and I’m very proud of all of them.”

The Orioles scored their 7 runs on 5 hits making 4 errors and leaving 6 on base. The Yankees used 4 hits for their 4 runs, leaving 5 on base.

Smith went 2 for 3 for the O’s, scoring 2 with 1 RBI and Dawson finished 1 for 2 with 1 run scored. For the Yankees, Cedano finished 1 for 3, scored 2 and added 1 RBI whilst Reyes went 2 for 3 with a run scored and 1 RBI.