West Coast teams perform well in first two days of showcase.
The western United States is off to a strong start in the Area Code Games with the Pacific Northwest-based Kansas City Royals opening with a pair of wins, the Northern California Oakland Athletics posting a shutout in their opener and the Southern California Milwaukee Brewers looking formidable in their first game.
The Texas-based Texas Rangers are also 2-0 after the first two days of the Area Code Games, held at Long Beach State's Blair Field. The annual event, in its 25th year, features close to 240 of the nation's top rising juniors and seniors.
Here's a look at the first two days of action at the Area Code Games.
Day Two
Oakland Athletics 8, Washington Nationals 0
The Athletics scored early against the Nationals and received shutout pitching from four hurlers in getting the first win Saturday at Long Beach State's Blair Field.
Ryan Tellez of Elk Grove drove in a pair of runs in the first inning with a base hit and drove in a third run in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly. On the mound, Menlo's
Freddy Avis struck out three batters to lead the pitching contingent.
Paul Blackburn of Heritage (Brentwood),
Ben Eckels of Davis and
Ricky Delgado of Deer Valley (Antioch) also threw for the A's.
Milwaukee Brewers 4, New York Yankees 2
The Brewers opened with a 4-2 win over the Yankees on Saturday with
Timmy Lopes of Edison (Huntington Beach) rapping out two hits with an RBI.
Daniel Robertson of Upland added a triple and
Ronald Miller of Serra (Gardena) doubled for Milwaukee.
Texas Rangers 6, Cincinnati Reds 4
Courtney Hawkins, Carroll
Photo by Jim Redman
The Rangers went to 2-0 with a two-run victory over winless Cincinnati (0-2) on Saturday. Sheldon Neuse drove in two runs with a base hit to key a three-run rally for the Rangers in the fifth. Leon Byrd Jr. also had an RBI single for Texas.
Alex Bregman of Albuquerque Academy (N.M.) impressed for the Reds with a double and a triple.
Kansas City Royals 2, Chicago White Sox 0
The Royals bumped their record to 2-0 with a win over the White Sox, who dropped to 0-2. Ryne Shelton of Kentlake knocked in the first run for the Royals on a sacrifice fly and scored the second run on a passed ball later in the game.
Day One
Texas Rangers 9, Chicago White Sox 5
It took extra innings for Texas to get the first win of the Area Code Games on Friday at Long Beach State's Blair Field, as the Rangers scored four runs in the eighth inning to beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5.
The Rangers, made up of players from Texas and Louisiana, got a strong outing from Carroll (Corpus Christi) standout
Courtney Hawkins, who scored the winning run after drawing a walk in the eighth inning and scoring on a single by Acadiana's
Stryker Trahan.
Hawkins was named the New Balance Most Valuable Player of the Game, according to ESPN Rise, after going 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs, a sacrifice fly and a pair of stolen bases.
Austin Dean of Klein Collins (Spring, Texas), led the Ranger offense with a pair of hits and an RBI.
Kansas City Royals 4, Cincinnati Reds 0
Three Royals combined for a one-hitter in a 4-0 win over the Reds in the second game Friday.
Michael Rucker of Auburn Riverside (Auburn, Wash.) did not allow a hit in his three innings while Caleb Frare of Mile City, Mont., also threw a pair of hitless innings.
Andrew Pullin of Centralia (Wash.) gave up the only hit in his two innings on the mound.
Clint Coulter of Union (Camas, Wash.) led the Royal offense with a double, triple and an RBI.
