Port Arthur finds sweet redemption
Jack Pineau lives for big game situations. So when Port Arthur Nationals manager Tony Lachimea had to select a starting pitcher to take on Mirabel Diamond Academy in the Canadian Little League Championship — the team that prevented them from reaching last year's semifinal in Hastings, B.C. — he only had one arm in mind.
“It was a no brainer. It’s no secret here at the tournament this week that he’s our best pitcher. He’s the man we go to,” said Lachimea, whose Nationals improved to 2-0 on Pineau’s 9-4 victory. “They’re one of the best hitting teams we’ve ever played.”
Pineau struck out nine through four innings, including five in a row during a streak of seven consecutive retired batters to lead the Nats to avenge last year’s gutwrenching loss in Hastings.
Leading 5-1 entering the sixth inning of last year’s group stage conclusion, Port Arthur surrendered 14 runs to the Quebec champions and had their season cut short. It’s something Pineau still remembers vividly.
“It was a really depressing game,” said Pineau. “We had done that once before in the tournament too so it was really nice to close this one out.”
While he allowed a lead-off home run to Christophe Lepage Mancini on the second pitch of the game, Pineau settled right into his role and immediately began putting Quebec’s hitters off balance. With his fastball, changeup and curveball all working to near-perfection, Pineau says it was one of the best games he’s ever pitched.
“It’s way up there,” he said. “I felt like my stuff was really good today.”
Port Arthur's plate discipline quickly paved the way to a lead. Five consecutive walks and two wild pitches in the first pushed the Nats in front 4-1, then the offence came alive.
Ben Savor stretched the lead to five runs with a 2-RBI single in the third, then Evan Lachimea connected for his championshipleading third home run of the tournament in the fourth before Jax Fonso added another later in the frame when a rundown that drew the ball away from the plate.
“I’m just trying to make contact with the ball and I guess they just go out,” said Evan of his three home runs and .714 batting average through two games.
“We wanted to beat them really bad and we did.”
But the Nationals know better than anyone, no lead is safe against Diamond Academy. Trailing 9-1 in the top of the sixth, the Quebec champions dug in and started to push back. Nats closer Michael Danchuk put Nathan Mercier aboard with a bean ball before surrendering a single off Louis-Felix Anderson to set up a threerun home run from Stefano Albert Paolucci — narrowing the gap to five. While the no doubter brought life back to Quebec’s bench while firing up memories of the past, Danchuk kept his composure and battled his way out on a strikeout and two ground balls.
“Even at 9-1, I was really nervous because they’re the kind of team that can score, 10, 12, 14 runs … but look at Danchuk closing the game. He had some good stuff,” said Tony. “It was a big win for our team.”