Dominic Smith of the Washington Nationals slides down the hill with players from the Little League Baseball World Series before their game against the Phillies on Sunday. (`/Gene J Puskar)
Major League Baseball’s coolest new tradition returned Sunday afternoon.
The Washington Nationals defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 in the latest edition of the Little League Classic on Sunday at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Little League’s iconic field was packed with players and parents from teams competing in this month’s Little League Baseball World Series in one of the best and most unique atmospheres of any sport.
The evening began with the celebratory first pitch, in which one player from each of the 20 teams started in a row in midfield. And in true Little League World Series fashion, there were tons of mountain slides, outfield games, and even an ice shaker.
The first pitch at #LittleLeagueClassic is always something special. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/D09fatjLKU
— MLB (@MLB) August 20, 2023
When in Williamsport…
Dom Smith was having too much fun sliding down the hill. 🤣 #LittleLeagueClassic pic.twitter.com/nyZOCUZbPG
— Cut4 (@Cut4) August 20, 2023
“WHO WANTS SOME ICE CREAM?!” 🍦 @JulieFoudy casually introduces ice cream to fans at #LLWS 😂 pic.twitter.com/L5q05sNr0B
— ESPN (@espn) August 20, 2023
Many special, custom-made racquets were also used throughout the night. Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott pulled out what appeared to be a classic No. 2 pencil on his first plate appearance.
Bryson Stott’s pencil bat #2 is 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mxHakVo8vT
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 21, 2023
Which racket is your favorite? #LittleLeagueClassic pic.twitter.com/t8mzMWQtoQ
— MLB (@MLB) August 21, 2023
The Nationals took the lead early in the first inning and maintained their lead until the end of the game. Keibert Ruiz hit a two-RBI double to opener, and then Dominic Smith hit a two-RBI single to score Ruiz and Joey Meneses. That immediately gave Washington a 4-0 lead.
The Phillies finally recovered in the ninth inning, although it was still too late. Brandon Marsh hit an RBI single to score Stott and put them on field, and then Jake Cave hit a two-run home run into right field to bring the Phillies together in just a single run. However, this push came with two outs. The Nationals persevered and clinched the one-run win. Trevor Williams threw four strikeouts and conceded two hits in his six innings on the mound for Washington, while Zack Wheeler conceded four runs and seven hits in his seven innings for Philadelphia.
The win for Washington came just a day after losing 12-3 at Nationals Park. The Nationals, 24 games behind in NL East, have now won seven of their last nine games. The Phillies have now lost five of their last seven. They are 13 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East but lead the NL wildcard race.
Major League Baseball first introduced the Little League Classic in 2017 and it’s been a hit ever since. The league announced that the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees will also be in the game next summer. It is the first participation of both teams in this event.
The Little League Baseball World Series began Thursday in Pennsylvania. The US and international championship games are scheduled for Saturday. The winners of these games then meet in the championship on Sunday. The Massapequa, New York-based team won the Little League Softball World Series earlier this month.
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