Southern California wins I-5 APBA Series with a 19-6 rout in Game 7

The Southern California All-Stars, once down 3-1 in the best-of-seven APBA I-5 Series, completed a stirring comeback with a 19-6 rout of Northern California in Game 7 at Oracle Park on Monday.

SoCal scored in every inning except the seventh to win the inaugural Golden Greats trophy.

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I-5 Series Game 7

The I-5 Series The I-5 Series between players who grew up in Southern California vs. players who grew up in Northern California was played on the APBA game engine. The 34-man rosters were chosen by fans via latimes.com/sports and sfchronicle.com/sports. More than 100,000 votes were cast. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts chose the Game 1 SoCal lineup and Giants manager Gabe Kapler chose the NorCal lineup, but from then on the SoCal team was managed by Houston Mitchell of The Times and the NorCal team by Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle.

A few Game 7 highlights:

--Jackie Robinson went two for four with two triples, three RBIs and three runs.

--Tony Gwynn went four for five with two doubles, a walk and four runs.

--George Brett went four for six with two doubles and three RBIs.

--Playing for the first time in the series, Wes Parker went two for two with a double, homer and two RBIs.

--Everyone in the SoCal starting lineup had at least one hit and scored at least one run.

--Ralph Kiner, Gary Carter and Ted Williams also homered for SoCal, who scored six runs off starter Tom Seaver in 3 1/3 innings and touched five NorCal relievers (CC Sabathia, Mike Norris, John Wetteland, Dave Righetti and Tug McGraw) for 13 runs, 15 hits and six walks.

Mark McGwire was named series MVP after going eight for 20 with five home runs, a double, a triple, 11 RBIs and 11 runs. He narrowly edged Brett, who hit .357 with five doubles and two triples. Ted Williams went only four for 21 in the series, but drew 12 walks.

Northern California’s Barry Bonds hit four home run in the first two games, but went three for 17 the rest of the way with only one more homer. Joe DiMaggio was seven for 24 in the series, with three homers.

All 68 players voted onto the rosters by readers appeared in at least one game.

“It was a dramatic series and could have gone either way,” Mitchell said after the game. “Thanks to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts for some valuable tips before the series began.”