Diamondbacks on a roll

The Diamondbacks remained undefeated as Brian Hurst, Grant Davis and

Tommy Colton combined for a no hitter in a 7-0 shutout against the

Yankees in Newport Beach Little League Majors Division action.

Hurst pitched three no-hit innings followed by two innings from

Colton and one from Davis.

The Yankees threatened in the bottom of the fourth with runners on

first and second with no outs. A double play, though, set up Davis,

who then struck out the final batter to stop the threat.

For the Yankees, pitcher Brian Ford made a key defensive play at

home to stop Colton from scoring. Ford held onto the ball in a

massive collision while slightly injuring his left arm. He shook of

the injury and stayed in the game to retire the side.

Offensively, Beau Attyah contributed two hits to help lead the

offense.

In other NBLL Majors action:

* Braves 4, D-backs 1:

The Braves defeated the D-backs behind the strong pitching of

Parker Stone and Jack Gerdau.

Stone pitched five solid innings, allowing four hits while

striking out five.

Gerdau threw just eight pitches in the bottom of the sixth to

close out the victory.

Catcher Dillon Campbell, outfielder Justin Tucker and third

baseman Anthony Mainero led the defense.

Danny Borg-Sundstrom led the offense with two doubles while Austin

Blodgett, Jed Thayer, Stone and Dylan Varner each had timely hits.

Hurst added strong pitching for the D-backs while Davis provided

staunch defense.

* Braves 3, Padres 1:

The Braves’ defense was the key to victory.

Thayer pitched the first three innings, allowing just one run

while striking out three. Gerdau came on to throw three scoreless

innings of relief, facing one batter above the minimum.

Brett Klein, Josh Harrison, Thayer (diving catch in the final

inning) and Nick Manning all played well in the field for the Braves

(4-3).

Campbell tripled and singled.

Brent Lawson, Mitch Gardner and Cameron Koziara combined to strike

out 11 Braves’ batters.

Koziara and Derek Spreitzer added key hits for the Padres.

* Braves 5, Cubs 1:

Thayer, Gerdau and Stone combined to pitch a no-hitter to give the

Braves their first victory of the season.

Thayer pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and

allowed just one unearned run in three innings.

Gerdau struck out four in two shutout innings -- including the

side in the fifth.

Stone threw only 10 pitches in retiring the side in the sixth.

Gerdau and Campbell led the defense while Varner, Austin Blodgett,

Stone and Campbell each had timely hits.

Austin Jones pitched well for the Cubs while Preston Risser added

strong defense.

* Cardinals 4, Cubs 3:

Michael Bloom and Cory Vitalo combined on a five-hitter as the

Cardinals edged the Cubs.

Bloom helped his own cause by leading off the game with a single

and scored on Andrew Dunlap’s two-out single off Cubs’ starter Jones.

Riley Conroy added a another run in the second inning, scoring on

Josh Starnes’ single. Alex Morrison added a sacrifice in the inning.

The Cubs tied the score in the third after Risser’s single scored

both Chasen McNaughton and Parker Ewles.

The Cardinals took the lead in the top of the sixth as Bloom and

Vitalo each walked and moved into scoring position on a double steal.

They both scored on successive sacrifice hits by Zach Cabin and Jake

Starnes.

The Cubs threatened in the bottom of the sixth on singles by Trent

Boras and Emery Molnar, but were stranded as the Cardinals’ defense

of Stephen McAfee, Nick Treadaway, Billy McDonald and Clark Cashion

made plays to stifle the rally.

* Angels 8, Cardinals 4:

Jamie Heinecke struck out eight in three scoreless innings to help

lead the Angels to victory. Nick Flamson pitched three innings of

relief, getting a backhanded stop by third baseman Mikey Pawell.

Blake Thomsen (two hits) and Ryan Grable (double) led the offense

while Armani Ferrante, Gianni Ferrante, David Weiland and J.D. Dawn

each added singles.

Cory Vitalo pitched will for the Cardinals. Their offense was led

by Michael Bloom’s two-run home run -- his second of the year -- and

two hits by Jake Starnes. Andrew Dunlap (double), and Nick Treadaway.

* Angels 9, Giants 2:

Nick Flamson had three hits and scored three runs while adding

three scoreless innings on the mound to help the Angels improve to

3-1.

Flamson allowed one hit and struck out four.

Jamie Heinecke (three hits, run scored), Armani Ferrante (two

hits, two runs scored), Blake Thomsen (single, scored twice), and

Ryan Grable and David Weiland (one hit each) powered the offense.

Taylor Ross (three hits) and Patrick Vorwerck (two hits) led the

Giants’ offense while Scott Cook, Brandon Pick, Daniel Noto and Matt

Ruiz each added singles.

* Reds 9 Yankees 1:

Sean Tokuyama and Michael Borchard combined for 11 strikeouts for the second consecutive game to lead the Reds past the Yankees.

Tokuyama, who added a solo home run, and Borchard walked just two.

The Reds offense was led by Brennan Anderson, Nick Tripi and

Darren Hardy, who each had two hits. Chris Alvarez, Will Morrow and

Allen Brown each had RBI singles.

Brian Ford and Eric Morris led the Yankees defensively while John

Christian hit a solo home run.

* Reds 9 Cubs 0:

Tokuyama and Borchard combined to fan 11 in six scoreless innings

and walked just one to lead the Reds over the Cubs.

Tokuyama finished with three hits while Borchard, Anderson and

Alvarez each tallied two hits and a combined eight RBIs. Jack

Schloemer added a hit.

The Cubs were led defensively by McNaughten and Risser while Blake

Miller and Emery Molnar each hit the ball hard.

* Dodgers 10, Red Sox 4:

The Dodgers erased a 4-1 fourth-inning deficit to defeat the Red

Sox Saturday,

Doug Watt and Ben Capaldi combined to pitch a five-hitter for the

Dodgers while Nick Couchot smashed two timely doubles and Tanner

Trauthen hit a bases-loaded double to lead the Dodger offense.

Chase Carlile played strong at shortstop for the Dodgers (5-1).

George Kennedy pitched a four-hitter for the Red Sox and David

Adamson hit a bases-loaded double that gave the Red Sox the early

lead.

* Cardinals 5, Red Sox 4:

Bloom homered, doubled and singled and pitched three hitless

innings to lead the Cardinals to the victory.

Riley Conroy delivered the game-winning RBI in the sixth inning

when his double scored Billy Macdonald.

Stephen McAfee had two hits for the Cardinals while Josh Starnes,

Dunlap and Cashion also had singles. Cashion caught all six innings.

The Red Sox were led by the strong play of Brooks Brady, David

Adamson, Max Colvin and Wes Nielsen.

* Yankees 5, Cubs 1:

Ford and Morris combined for 14 strikeouts (seven each) to thwart

the Cubs’ attack.

Ford also led the offensive charge, going 3 for 3 with two doubles

and an RBI triple.

Peter Markel added an RBI single and Eric Hallett knocked in a

run, too.

Nico Napolitano singled twice while Chip Zucker and Alex Mainthow

each added one single.

Risser, Boras and Miller all singled for the Cubs. Risser also

turned an unassisted double play. Boras and Jones pitched well for

the Cubs.

* Cardinals 6, Padres 1:

Dunlap’s double with the bases loaded in the second inning scored

Bloom and Josh Starnes to begin the scoring and send the Cardinals to

the win on Saturday, March 13.

Bloom continued his strong pitching, tossing three no-hit innings

while, walking none and striking out four. He also went 3 for 3 at

the plate.

Vitalo pitched the final three innings and gave up only one run.

McDonald, Conroy and Jake Starnes each singled and scored a run for

the Cardinals.

Cashion played stellar shortstop and catcher with added defensive

strength given provided by Morrison, Treadaway and Cabin.

* Red Sox 8, Diamondbacks 5:

Brooks Brady pitched five solid innings to help lead the Red Sox

to the victory. Wes Nielsen and Scott Hansen contributed RBI singles.

Grand Davis collected two singles for the Diamondbacks, and Tommy

Colton nearly hammered a home run, hitting the top of the fence in

left-center field.