The Northgate Braves were looking for a strong pitching performance from Romeo Torres on Monday night. They got it and then some.

With Torres allowing just two hits in the four-inning mercy rule game, the Braves came to life in the second inning and defeated the Tracy American Yankees 15-2 in championship-round action of the Little League District 67 Tournament of Champions at Northgate Little League’s Gillen Field, setting up a winner-take-all contest between the two teams this afternoon at 5:30.

With Torres in command the entire game, the Yankees struggled from the mound, using five pitchers. After a scoreless first inning, Torres got things rolling in the second when he reached on an error. Four walks, multiple wild pitches, passed balls and another error later, Northgate had a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the second.

In the third inning the Braves continued to be patient, drawing five walks. But this time the bats came alive with a bases-clearing triple by Charlie Sanders (2 for 3, three RBI, three runs), an RBI double by Justin Severson and an RBI single by Tyler Looney helped Northgate to eight runs and a 13-0 lead. 

After being stranded in the first inning following a two-out double, the Braves’ Willie Segura (2 for 3, double, home run, two RBI) found the plate in the fourth with a two-run home run, scoring Sanders.

Tracy American broke up the no-hit bid by Torres in the third inning. Seth Price walked to lead off the frame and came in to score on a throwing error on a single by Patrick Woods. That error got Woods to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Chase Henderson.

Torres struck out six and walked three. He reached base four times — on the second-inning error and three walks — and scored twice.