FanHouse Little League World Series

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) -- California came up big late to win the Little League World Series.

Bulla Graft's sharp single scored the go-ahead run in the fourth inning and Kiko Garcia pitched three-plus scoreless innings of relief to lead Chula Vista to a 6-3 victory over Taoyuan, Taiwan, to take the tournament title.

With the pro-U.S. fans on their feet, Garcia closed out the victory by striking out Yu Chieh Kao. The California fans yelled, "USA! USA!"

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) -- Vice President Joe Biden fondly recalled playing youth baseball in Pennsylvania while being honored at the Little League World Series.

Biden was enshrined into Little League's Hall of Excellence before Sunday's title game between California and Taiwan.

Accompanied by three granddaughters, Biden told the crowd he started out in Little League as an 8-year-old playing shortstop for the Green Ridge Little League in Scranton before moving to center field.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) -- California's mini-mashers bashed their way into the Little League World Series championship on Saturday night.

Andy Rios hit a grand slam in Chula Vista's nine-run first inning and the Cali sluggers routed San Antonio, Texas, 12-2 to advance to Sunday's final against Taiwan.

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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) -- The smiling boys from Taoyuan, Taiwan stood along the third-base line and took a bow in unison as their parents and fans snapped pictures.

They had plenty to be excited about after winning a spot in the World Series title game.

Taiwan took advantage of six Mexico errors and scratched out runs on a bunt single and a bases-loaded walk to take the international title. Taiwan is back in the title game for the first time since 1996, when it beat Cranston, R.I.

South Williamsport, Pa. (AP) -- Nick Conlin scampered home from third on a wild pitch to give Chula Vista, Calif., an 11-10 win over Warner Robins, Ga., on Thursday night to advance to the U.S. championship game of the Little League World Series.

California will face Texas on Saturday with a berth in the World Series title game at stake.

Little League's final four is now complete. Taiwan beat Curacao 5-2 earlier Thursday to set up the international final.

There was much more drama Thursday night. California rallied from a five-run deficit to tie the game at 10 in the fifth on Andy Rios' two-run homer.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (Aug. 27) -- Steven Cardone smiled as he jogged off the field after San Antonio, Texas escaped with another win at the Little League World Series.

He had a big reason for the look of relief on his face. Actually, three big reasons.

Cardone and San Antonio's makeshift defense erased three bases-loaded threats with double plays and John Shull had two RBIs in a 4-1 win Wednesday night over Staten Island, N.Y.

"That's pretty standard,'' Shull's father, Texas manager Mike Shull, joked about the timely defense.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (Aug. 26) -- Ex-New York Yankees star Bernie Williams is returning to a world series, but he's trading his glove in for a guitar.

The former outfielder-turned-professional guitarist will play the Star Spangled Banner before the U.S. championship game Saturday night at the Little League World Series.

It will be the first time that Williams will perform the national anthem in public, Little League and Williams said in a statement Wednesday.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (Aug. 26) -- Katie Reyes hit a two-run single in the top of the sixth to help Vancouver, British Columbia, rally for a wild 14-13 victory Tuesday over Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany, in the Little League World Series.

The Little League president, Stephen Keener, and other longtime tournament officials said they could not recall a girl having the winning hit before in a World Series game.

"I was excited. I was shaking," Reyes, 13, said about going to the plate for her big hit. She finished with three hits and three runs batted in.