By DAVE CAMPBELL

The Bulletin

With the Giants and the Pirates combining for 15 runs in the previous three innings Sunday, Giants relief pitcher Slyder Blythe had two out in the bottom of the sixth with the walk-off run standing on first base.

Blythe saw to it that the runner on first stayed on first when he induced a strikeout to end the game and give the Giants the Spreckels Park Little League major-division championship with a thrilling 12-10 win at Brock Elliott Elementary School.

Scoreless through the first three innings, a Frankie Vela two-RBI double in the fourth along with a pair of Giants errors brought the Pirates within 7-6. The Pirates took a 9-7 lead in the fifth behind Rafael Diaz’s two-run home run – his second over the fence in two days – and an RBI single by Joel Gallo, his second in as many innings. Vela (3 for 4, two doubles, RBI) added a double in the sixth inning.

Hunter Hollech’s RBI single to the right-field fence was the only Giants hit to leave the infield in the sixth inning, but the Giants managed four runs in their frame to take a 12-9 lead.

Tristen Ginzalez was 2 for 4 for the Giants, but the two hits were big hits. He had an RBI double in the fifth and an RBI single in the five-run third that saw a three-RBI double by Austin Cook and double by Chase Sperbeck (3 for 4, double, RBI). Louis Aquila (2 for 4, double, RBI) had an RBI double in the first for the Giants. Blythe was 2 for 4 with two runs.

Christian Cruz was 3 for 4 with a run for the Pirates, Gallo 2 for 3 with two RBIs and Alex Cervantes 2 for 4.

A grand-slam home run by Diaz in the first inning Saturday proved to be the difference in a 7-6 win for the Pirates that forced Sunday’s contest. Diaz’s blast was part of a five-run first for the Pirates that included a double by Cervantes.