Russia earns first “W” in 3 years at LLWS
Guam perfect-game bid ends after 5 and 2/3

By Mark Rogoff
Special Correspondent

It all went away so quickly for Guam’s Peter Perez.

Scribes in the press box were set to pen him “Pedro” in honor of the mastermind Boston Red Sox ace. Instead, his Russian counterpart Evgeny Vorotyntsev may have to take on the nickname.

Perez in one swing of the bat lost his perfect-game bid Sunday evening against the European champs. Two singles later, he lost the shutout…and the game.

In a stunning turn of events in Game 13 at Volunteer Stadium, Russia upended Guam 2-0 to earn their first ever Little League World Series victory, despite Perez’ 5.2 innings of perfect baseball.

Kirill Starodubov’s 2-out RBI single up the middle proved to be the difference as Russia upped its pool-play record to 1-1 while Guam fell to 0-2.

“This is pretty amazing,” said Russia head coach Vladimir Eltchaninov. “(Winning a game) was our goal for three years. I’m full of joy.”

The 2-0 triumph was Russia’s first win in 7 games ever played in Williamsport. Both Khovrino All-Star teams went 3-and-out in 2001 and 2002.

“We didn’t expect to win this one,” Kirill Starodubov said through his manager. “It happened so suddenly. The feeling was so unpredictable. It’s difficult to express my feelings.”

Vorotyntsev tossed a complete-game shutout, giving up 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 12.

A “strike-‘em-out, throw-‘em-out” in the 6th sealed the win for Vorotyntsev and his mates. He struck out the side in the 2nd and 4th innings.

“I felt excellent through the 4th,” he said through manager Eltchaninov. “Then I thought I couldn’t make it. I felt like we were going to play for long, long, extra innings.”

Guam had put runners in scoring position in every inning but the 5th. Vorotyntsev finished 4 of 6 innings with strikeouts.

“The hits came, the runners were stranded, but Russia broke the ice before we did,” said Guam skipper Shon Muna.

Perez would have become the 4th pitcher in World Series history to throw a perfect game, joining Kiyoshi Tsumura of Chofu, Japan (1976), Fred Shapiro of Delaware Township, New Jersey (1956), and Angel Macias of Monterrey, Mexico (1957).

Five straight batters reached base in the 6th. Russia plated its 2nd run when Guam catcher Gerald Quichocho couldn’t handle a throw to force out Alexey Kozin at the plate.

“Of course we’re satisfied with his win,” Eltchaninov said. “We just want to play another good game tomorrow.”

Added Vorotyntsev: “I had a feeling that we’d win a couple games and go the next level.”

A win tomorrow against Latin America could turn that feeling into a reality.