Thousand Oaks Wins World Series Opener : Little League: Strauser, Howard team up to pitch one-hitter in 3-0 victory over Puerto Rico.

Chris Strauser and Kevin Howard combined on a one-hitter Monday to spark the Thousand Oaks 13-year-old all-stars to a 3-0 victory over defending champion Puerto Rico in the opening game of the Little League World Series in Taylor, Mich.

Thousand Oaks will face Jacksonville (Fla.) in a second-round game of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament Wednesday. Jacksonville defeated Vestal (N.Y.), 4-2.

Howard (6-1), who came on in relief with none out and a runner on first in the fourth, gave up one hit, struck out six and walked one.

Strauser did not give up a hit and struck out two, but he walked six.

Thousand Oaks (15-1) scored a run in the first, fifth and seventh.

With one out in the first, Matt Rogers singled and stole second. After Howard walked, Wes Munyon singled in Rogers.

Howard was hit by a pitch with one out in the fifth before moving to third on a double by Munyon and scoring on an error by Puerto Rico (9-2). Rogers walked to lead off the seventh. Pinch-runner Manuel Apodaca stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Howard.