Aruba holds off Venezuela to advance to International title game

Jay-Sell Giron and Emerson Mercado combined for a five-hitter with no earned runs to lead Aruba into the International championship game with a 3-1 victory over Venezuela on Thursday afternoon in an elimination game in South Williamsport, Pa.

Mercado gave the Santa Cruz, Aruba team a 1-0 lead in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly. The Caribbean Region squad pushed its lead to 2-0 on Jayderick Wederfoor's third-inning RBI single and added an insurance run with Isaac Arendsz's sacrifice fly in the sixth.

The Latin America team from Cardenales Little League in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, rallied in the sixth. Samuel Castillo's walk, Alam Parra's single and an error cut Aruba's lead to 3-1 with one out. Mercado retired the next two batters to send Aruba to Saturday's International Final against the Asia-Pacific team from Taiwan.

Giron scattered two hits in two innings before giving way to Mercado, who threw four innings and allowed three hits and one unearned run with four strikeouts and two walks. Francisco Rivero started for Venezuela and gave up two hits and two runs in 2 2/3 innings.