The Dodgers captured the Northgate Little League Majors championship Friday with a 5-4 victory over the Orioles.
They did it with timely hitting and strong pitching down the stretch.
"We peaked at the right time," said coach Mike Calmes, who was quick to praise his Orioles.
"That's a great team," he added.
The Orioles had been a juggernaut during the season, posting a 16-0 record in the regular season being thwarted by the Dodgers in the winners-bracket semifinal last weekend. The Orioles avenged the loss Thursday 4-0 to force the winner-take-all final.
"There's something about going 16-0 that should count for something," said Orioles coach Steven Schluer.
He'll coach the age 11 Northgate All-Stars.
The Dodgers will advance to the District 67 Tournament of Champions in Lathrop on Saturday, June 16.
They did that by squeezing out a run in the fifth inning, responding shortly after the Orioles knotted the game at 4-4.
Bryan Tankersley's two-out single delivered home Zach Grabowski, who led off with a base hit and scooting into scoring position on a Robbie Espinoza hit.
From there, Greg Adams, who relieved starter Noah Calmes with one out in the fifth, held off the Orioles, stranding a pair of runners to end the game.
"Our pitchers played with no fear," said Mike Calmes.
The Orioles scored a run early in the game thanks to Grant Sonke's lead-off triple. He scored on a sacrifice fly by George Mendoza.
The Dodgers answered back with in their half of the first. Noah Calmes plated Baker, who reached base on an outfield error.
The Orioles made it 3-1 in the third. Mendoza and Fernando Alaniz had back-to-back hits with one out, with Mendoza coming through with a double.
Mendoza scored on Andrew Guzman's fly ball while Alaniz took advantage of a wild pitch.
That set up the big moment for the Dodgers.
With two outs and a runner on second — Kyle Van Arsdale had a one-out single — Grabowski blasted a two-one home run over the center field fence, tying the game at 3-3.
Robert Salas followed with a single, scoring on Junior Rosas' RBI double.
Sonke singled to lead-off the fifth for the Orioles, tying the game at 4-4 on Mendoza's run-scoring hit.
Grabowski scored the go-ahead run moments later, coming home on Tankersley's up-the-middle single.
"This was a team effort," said coach Calmes. "It took all 12 players to do their part during this run."