Dylan DePrater kept the Yankees off balance Monday and led the Rays to a 5-3 win in consolation action of the Manteca Little League majors playoffs at Lincoln Park.
DePrater allowed one hit – an RBI double by Robert Harnden in the first inning – and struck out 13, including striking out the side in the first and second innings. Hitting from the leadoff spot, he went 2 for 3 with a double and two runs. DePrater turned his double into a four-bagger in the fifth inning, taking third and then home when the throw to the infield went off target.
Anthony Garcia Jr. (3 for 3, RBI, two runs) singled for the Rays in the first inning. Sergio Gonzalez then reached when Garcia Jr. beat the throw to second off Gonzalez’s bat and Zach Todd singled to load the bases.
Micah English came up and blasted a shot to deep left field, but David Juarez ran back to snag the ball, forcing the runners to return to their bases and keeping at least two Rays runs off the board.
After DePrater led off the fifth with his double that he scored on, Garcia Jr. singled. With two outs Micah English blasted the ball over the fence, but he was ruled to have not tagged home giving the Rays only one run on the play and a 5-3 lead.
E.J. Enos reached on an error and Jordan Ordaz walked to start the Yankees fourth. Enos scored on a groundout by Harnden and Ordaz scored on a passed ball to tie the score at 3-3.
The Rays play the A’s Wednesday in the championship round at Lincoln Park at 5:30 p.m.