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Toronto bottoms out Venezuela advances in international bracket
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) -- Toronto manager David Trimble still couldn't get over the frustrations of the previous day's loss. Neither could his team. Still smarting from Tuesday's 5-4 dramatic loss to Maracaibo, Venezuela, Toronto came out flat in its Little League World Series finale on Wednesday. Philip Hecht singled to drive in the game-winning run in a two-run fifth inning, sparking Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, to a 3-1 victory in a game between the International Pool's two winless teams. All Trimble could think of was what could have been a day earlier, losing to Maracaibo on a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth. 'That one was in my mind all last night,' Trimble said. 'It was a big emotional letdown on the kids. It took a lot of time to get them cheered up.' It was that kind of week for Toronto, which opened the Series losing 9-8 to Tokyo, despite a six-run, sixth-inning rally. Dhahran manager Al Griffith was pleased that the long trip to Williamsport ended with a win, especially after his team combined for five hits and were outscored 12-0 in its two previous games. 'We feel real good. The kids ecstatic about it,' Griffith said. Tokyo (3-0) will face Maracaibo (2-1) in the International Pool final, a re-match of regions from last year's final won by Osaka, which went on to win the Series title. Tied 1-1, and runners at first and third, Hecht singled up the middle driving home Doug Wood. Then Riley Arp scored on a wild pitch. Hecht had three hits and finished the Series going 6-for-8, including two doubles. The secret to Hecht's success was a 'must-hit' sign introduced for the Series by Griffith. 'Every time he gave me that, I just seemed to hit the ball. I don't know why,' Hecht said. Hecht didn't need the sign - Griffith tapping his chin - on his game-winning hit, saying the pitch was a fastball on the outside corner of the plate. Wood had two hits and scored twice, and Arp, in relief, got the win allowing one hit and a walk over the final two innings. Greg Chong allowed three runs - two earned - and six hits, striking out four, while Toronto squandered a 1-0 lead and stranded eight baserunners.
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