Dhahran’s dharun support enough for Warren and Timoney

By David Graham-Caso
Special Correspondent

The Arabian-American Little League, out of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia has appeared in 12 different Little League World Series since 1987. It has been seven years since the team last qualified for the single elimination round. The 2003 Transatlantic champs made it very clear on Sunday afternoon that they were doing everything possible to make sure that their streak of short trips to the series would end.

Dhahran defeated the Glace Bay Little League All-Stars from Nova Scotia, Canada 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Volunteer stadium.

“It is nice to have that first win and still feel like we have a lot more to show,” Transatlantic manager Phillip Warren said. “Canada is a strong team, so it feels nice to get this first win.”

The Transatlantic champs put a run across in the first inning when Thomas Timoney came home on a Lee Aberle ground out to the pitcher.

“We usually start off small like that,” Aberle said. “Either that or we start by having a huge inning and score a lot of runs.”

Warren’s plethora of off speed pitches kept the Canadian team hacking all game with nothing to show for their effort. Glace Bay was at Warren’s mercy for the majority of six inning contest. Two of Canada’s three hits were barely hit at all: a bunt-single in the first inning and an infield single in the sixth, both by speedster Kenny Routledge. Warren was the pitcher of record, throwing 5.0 innings and striking out nine.

Dhahran plated two more in the bottom of the fifth inning. Shaan Bukhari crossed home on a wild pitch and Aberle scored on an overthrow from Canada shortstop Daniel Lewis. The insurance runs would prove to be crucial.

In the top of the sixth, with Warren still cruising, R.J. Barrett crushed a fastball well over the left-centerfield fence. Barrett’s two-run homer brought the Glace Bay team to within a single run.

“Except for that last inning, I felt like I pitched pretty good,” Warren said.

Not wanting to take any chances, Transatlantic manager Phillip Warren brought in Timoney for the save opportunity. Timoney allowed the tying run to reach second on a wild pitch before he closed the door on Canada with back-to-back strikeouts.

“I wasn’t nervous at all when I came in,” Timoney said. “I was more excited because I wanted to pitch.”

The Arabian American Little League next takes on Curacao Monday at noon at Volunteer stadium. A win tomorrow would virtually assure a berth in the next round for Dhahran.