The Astros of the Davis Little League AAA National division and the American League’s Blue Jays are champing at the bit to see who they will play in this week’s championship contests.
Coming from behind, the Astros sent the Reds into the secondary bracket with a 5-3 victory last Thursday.
Sam Blakewell, Kai Taylor, Logan McNamara and Cole Bertrand led the winners offensively, while Laurent Schwartz and Taylor turned in strong mound performances.
Blakewell’s double in the last of the fifth gave the Astros the lead after Schwartz had singled to tie the game. Cody Taylor and Schwartz combined on a double play.
Nate Thompson and Jake Schneider paced the Reds’ bats with Andrew Rauchway and Luke Carrell playing well behind the plate.
The Reds meet the Cardinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in an elimation game.
In other playoff action …
Cardinals 9, Nationals 7: William Ziegler drove in Giacomo Sorrentino with the game-winning runs, as well as picking up the pitching win.
Sorrentino smacked a triple, Ziegler had a double and Ethan Gross, Simon Guttormsen and James Herrgesell all contributed at the plate.
Blue Jays 4, Rays 2: In the American League tournament, the Jays scored twice in the seventh inning to top the Rays.
Jason Sanchez had two doubles and a single, Lucas Griffiths had an RBI double and Joe Richter and Luke Schwedler added singles for the Blue Jays.
Hank Schaaf tagged the potential winning run out at home in the bottom of the sixth as the game ended on a double play. Roland Watts, Sanchez and Richter were strong afield.
For the Rays, Garrett Emmons had two hits, scored and drove in a run and Max Woodland had two hits and an RBI. Payne Barksdale singled and scored and Josh Catacutan had a hit.
Chris Krug and Jack Johnson were tough on defense.
The Rays play Tuesday (at 4:30) against the Rangers in an elimination game.
Rangers 6, Tigers 2: A four-run first helped the Rangers cruise.
Iain Smith had two hits and scored twice and Billy Easton had two hits, scoring once and driving one in. Mark Studer and Charlie Easton each scored as Collin Yee and Will Smith added hits.
Charlie Easton pitched two scoreless innings and Cade Sanders added one in relief of winning pitcher Will Smith.
Defensively, Nick Archer, Billy Easton, Yee, Mark Schieber, Cade Sanders and Casey Freese were on fire.
For the Tigers, Bryon Flores and Ethan Ramos had a double and single each, while Ryan Berry, Jake Brugger, Mason Blackman, Mason Barrette, Chris Banister and Jakob Lee had singles.
Lee and Bob Costa pitched strongly in their team’s final game.
Rangers 14, Athletics 11: Will Smith, Billy Easton and Collin Yee hit doubles to build an early lead — then the Rangers held it thanks to the pitching of Iain Smith, Will Smith, Yee and Easton.
Iain Smith and Easton each scored three runs as Mark Studer, Casey Freese, Nick Archer, Iain Smith and Ryan Cuvelier all singled.
Will Smith, Cade Sanders, Mark Scheiber and Studer scored two runs apiece.
For the A’s, Jack Walsh doubled and singled, driving in two runs and Danny Honeychurch had a two-run hit. Sam Seiler bunted safety twice and Timmy Chin had two singles and an RBI.
Ryan Schacherbauer, Max Seed and Honeychurch pitched and Chin was strong at catcher.
Tigers 8, Indians 5: Mason Blackman had four hits and Chris Banister, Ryan Berry and Ethan Ramos each added three for the winners.
Berry, Jake Brugger, Jakob Lee, Costa and Blackman shared pitched duties as Ramos and Lee split quality time behind the plate.
Danny Harry, Costa and Mason Barrette each had two hits.
Josh Lien was 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs for the Tribe. Sam DeWit had two hits and caught a line drive that he turned into an unassisted double play. Derek Lerman, Nate Barclift and Tyler Herrera shared pitching duties.