LLWS 2015: TV Info, Live Stream Schedule, Predictions for Wednesday's Bracket
It's only been five days, but after Tuesday's slate of contests, just six of the original 16 teams remain in contention at the 2015 Little League World Series.
After facing elimination two days in a row and coming away victorious each time, Mexico and Sweetwater Valley (California) can enjoy a day off in this double-elimination tournament Wednesday.
Mexico handily defeated Australia and Chinese Taipei by a combined score of 25-4 to earn safe passage to Thursday, while Sweetwater Valley trounced both Cranston Western (Rhode Island) and Bowling Green Eastern (Kentucky) to earn at least two more days in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
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However, all of the Little Leaguers in play Tuesday received some sage advice from none other than legendary New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, per Little League on Twitter:
The tournament's only four undefeated teams are back in play Wednesday after some well-deserved time off. In the international bracket, Little League heavyweight Japan takes on Venezuela. In the U.S. bracket, it's Pearland West (Texas) against Pennsylvania's own Red Land Little League.
Here's the schedule, TV info and predictions for Wednesday's games.
| 4 p.m. | Howard J. Lamade | Venezuela | Japan | ESPN | Japan |
| 8 p.m. | Howard J. Lamade | Pearland West (Texas) | Red Land (Pennsylvania) | ESPN | Red Land |
Preview
Venezuela-Japan
While Mexico has been impressive in getting to this late stage in the LLWS, on Friday, it could again see the team that dropped them into the loser's bracket if Japan gets past Venezuela.
The young kids from Kitasuna Little League in Tokyo—a Little League force within a powerhouse Little League country—defeated Mexico 3-1 earlier in the tournament, and they also did well to jump out to a 6-0 lead over Chinese Taipei before falling off a bit on the way to a 7-5 victory.
Japan could trot out Kabu Kikuchi—who pitched four innings against Chinese Taipei and recorded seven strikeouts—on four days rest against Venezuela. The Latin American representatives weren't terribly impressive in a 5-2 opening-day win over Australia, but the hitting was improved, and the pitching was magnificent in a 7-0 drubbing over Uganda.
Luis Castillo was the hero in that latter game, pitching six shutout innings while allowing just one hit and striking out 14. He even helped out his own cause with a two-run homer. Castillo picked up two hits and an RBI against Australia, so even if he's not on the mound Wednesday, he could very well be leading the charge at the plate against Japan.
This game should be a very close one. Japan has the pedigree and some great pitchers to choose from—Daiki Fukuyama has been the reliever of choice thus far, pitching two innings against both Mexico and Chinese Taipei—but Venezuela's depth beyond Castillo could be just as strong. There isn't much to go on from this tournament for either team, but Tokyo Kitasuna is a team made all the more fearsome just by fighting its way off the island.
Pearland West-Red Land
Let's put it this way: The pitching of Pearland West Little League is as, ahem, dreaded as its manager's head. Here's evidence of Andrew Solomon's eccentric 'do, per BuzzFeed Sports:
Here's how well Pearland West has done in limiting its opponents' offense in both regional and LLWS play:
| August 7 | Regional | Pine Bluff Western, Arkansas | W, 8-4 |
| August 8 | Regional | Starkville, Mississippi | W, 15-0 |
| August 11 | Regional | North Boulder, Colorado | W, 9-1 |
| August 13 | Regional | North Boulder, Colorado | W, 9-2 |
| August 21 | World Series | Wilshire-Riverside, Oregon | W, 1-0 |
| August 23 | World Series | Sweetwater Valley, California | W, 8-4 |
Jarrett Tadlock was the pitcher of record in that tournament-opening win over Wilshire-Riverside, Oregon. In 4.1 shutout innings pitched, Tadlock racked up eight strikeouts while allowing just one hit. Reliever Isaac Garcia has also been quite good on the mound in Williamsport, racking up five strikeouts in just 3.1 innings pitched.
It may not have seemed quite as impressive as the opener, but a four-run win over Sweetwater Valley turned out to be quite the achievement, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune:
"Pearland (Texas) West Little League on Sunday became the first team in 18 games to beat Sweetwater Valley, going up big and holding on for an 8-4 victory in the teams’ second game at the Little League World Series.
'I thought it would be a lot sooner than this,' SVLL manager Ward Lannom said. '… It’s hard to be perfect.'
"
Sweetwater Valley had never scored fewer than six runs and had opened the Series on Friday with a 14-2 victory over Bowling Green East.
Bringing up the Texas-tough team's pitching is important, as Pearland West will have to put in another impeccable performance on the mound if it's to get past Red Land. It clobbered Webb City (Missouri) to open the World Series and followed that up with a heart-stopping 9-8 win over Northwood (South Carolina).
Cole Wagner has been the talk of the tournament thus far with his strong performances both at the plate and on the mound. Wagner went 4-for-4 against Webb City, with a double, two home runs (one grand slam) and six RBI.
Against Northwood, Wagner pitched five innings and recorded 10 strikeouts, although he was responsible for four earned runs, per GC.com. He did show great plate discipline in that contest, drawing three walks and scoring a run.
He's garnered plenty of deserved attention, but the York Daily Record's Jim Seip notes there are other dangers lurking deep in the Red Land lineup:
"Aside from the crowds, one thing Red Land has going for it is its hitters.
For all the attention Cole Wagner has received, Kaden Peifer has blasted two momentum-turning homers in the tournament.
He tried to hit a home run in his first at-bat of the Series, and then did so. Then he changed his approach in his last at-bat in Red Land's walk-off victory Sunday, just wanting to make contact to lead off the sixth. He smashed another opposite field home run. And he's Red Land's No. 8 hitter.
"
As a team, it will have to pitch better than it did against Northwood, but partisan crowds should help a well-supported Red Land squad outhit and outperform Pearland West on Wednesday.
Note: Live streams can be found at WatchESPN.
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