Game at Williamsport a real treat for kids, not so much for Phils fans

WILLIAMSPORT — Trevor Williams tossed two-hit ball over six shutout innings and led the Washington Nationals to a 4-3 win over the Phillies Sunday night in front of hundreds of the best Little League players from around the world.

Jake Cave hit a two-run homer off Kyle Finnegan in the ninth but the Nationals closer recovered to strike out pinch-hitter J.T. Realmuto to end the game and set off a flurry of fireworks in the outfield. Finnegan got his 21st save.

Little Leaguers from 20 World Series tournament teams — from Nevada to Venezuela to Japan — helped stuff Historic Bowman Field, many of the kids using dugout tops as makeshift coasters for Gatorade bottles, hot dogs and other favorite ballpark snacks.

Some lucky ones even got to chew the fat at the sixth MLB Little League Classic with big leaguers such as Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper and Washington’s Joey Meneses. Meneses, out of Culiacán, Mexico, advised the Mexican Little Leaguers to “stay calm” in the spotlight. Harper tried to cheer up Delaware County Mid-Atlantic Regional champion Media after the team was eliminated from the Little League World Series by Smithfield, Rhode Island.

If they needed to take notes, grab a pencil.

OK, how about a bat such as the one used by Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott that was painted to resemble a No. 2 pencil? Yes, the end of the barrel was decorated as an eraser. Harper used one with his BFF’s face, the Phanatic, on the bat. While the Phanatic may easily be the most recognizable — let’s say, celebrity? — in Philadelphia, ESPN announcer David Cone confused the creature with SpongeBob on the broadcast.

The Little Leaguers were treated like stars. They tossed T-shirts from atop the dugout to fans, mingled with players during the game, got interviewed on television and kept the soda vendors hustling.

Williams (6-7) made pitching against the Phillies look like child’s play.

One night after Trea Turner homered twice in one inning in a Phillies’ rout, Williams struck out four and walked three.

He had some early help against the NL wild-card leaders. Keibert Ruiz ripped a two-RBI double off struggling Phillies starter Zack Wheeler (9-6) and Dominic Smith had a two-run single for a 4-0 lead in the first.

Williams settled down after that. He struck out five in seven innings in front of a crowd that included Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred and Little League President Stephen Keener.

The big boppers Phillies fans came to see play — throw in the Media connection and most of the fans donned some sort of team merch — went down quietly. All-Star Nick Castellanos doubled in the sixth, but Harper and Kyle Schwarber went 0-for-3.

The Phillies and Nationals spent part of the day at the Little League International Complex and shared activities from cardboard sledding to whiffle ball games with the Little Leaguers. The Phillies even took in a few innings watching the Media game and went wild when the team staged a tying rally.

“I think it’s been a lot of fun,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said before the game. “It was really an unbelievable experience to see the energy, the amount of people that were there, imagining as a 10 or 11 year old playing in front of that many people in front of that type of energy.”

The kids returned the favor hours later. The front-row seats behind the dugouts belonged to 12-year-olds dressed in full uniform and hanging on every pitch — well, at least when they didn’t chase the team mascots for photos or rise in unison between each inning in hopes of having a major leaguer toss them a ball.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies OF Brandon Marsh was recalled from his rehab assignment (left knee contusion) with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

ON DECK

The New York Yankees will play the Detroit Tigers in the 2024 Little League Classic on Aug. 18 at Bowman Field.

Detroit will be home team for the game, originally scheduled for Comerica Park, where the teams meet on Aug. 16 and 17. Both teams will attend Little League World Series games on Aug. 18.

UP NEXT

The Nationals take a day off and head to New York for a three-game series against the Yankees.

The Giants have not announced a starting pitcher and will face Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (10-8, 4.58) in Philadelphia in the first game of a three-game series Monday.