Salem Falls to Peabody American in Little League All-Star Game

Alex Gomes picked a great time for a shutout. The Peabody American All-Star pitched 5-2/3 innings Saturday afternoon, striking out nine on the way to a 2-0 win over Salem American.

“Alex pitched great, from start to finish,” Peabody American manager Don Shaw said after the game. “Ryan (Newbury) scored a couple of runs for us and that was all that Alex needed to win the game.”

Peabody opened up the District 16 All-Star tournament against its next-door neighbors from Salem Saturday afternoon at Grabowski Field in Saugus.

Newbury scored the only two runs for Peabody, coming home in the fourth inning on a passed ball, and crossing the plate with an insurance run in the top of the sixth after Frank Celona ripped a double to right center off Salem’s Wes Schaejbe.

Newbury had two hits off Schaejbe in the game, a double to right-center in the fourth and his second two-bagger in the top of the sixth.

Hits were hard to come by Saturday. Gomes gave up only three hits, a third inning single to Aljenis Vlaun, a single in the fourth by Joey Baez, and a lead-off single in the bottom of the sixth to Salem’s leadoff hitter Cam Twomey.

“The boys played very, very well today,” Salem manager Ed Schaejbe said. “We just could not put a few hits together when we needed to.”

Vlaun had the best chance to score for Salem in the third, but was nabbed at home trying to score on a passed ball. Salem never threatened off the Peabody righty again, failing to get a runner past second base.

Gomes struck out nine, and walked two during the course of his three-hitter Saturday. Gomes was lifted in the sixth for Kyle Hentosh, with Schaejbe and Matt Ryan aboard with two outs. Hentosh got on the mound and whiffed Baez swinging to end the game.

Schaejbe was strong on the mound for Salem as well; he struck out nine, walked two and allowed only three hits. Salem’s Matt Ryan got Peabody pinch-hitter Michael Martinez out on strikes to end the Peabody sixth inning, after relieving Schaejbe with two outs and two men on.

Peabody’s offensive attack consisted of two doubles by Newbury, and a two-bagger by Celona in the top of the sixth, driving in Newbury to put Peabody ahead by two.

Salem got singles from Baez, Vlaun and Cam Twomey. Twomey tried to get a Salem comeback started in the bottom of the sixth with a sharp single over shortstop, but he was erased on a fielder’s choice.

Peabody (1-0) will be off until Friday to take on Winthrop.

The double-elimination tournament continues through July 15. District 16 serves over 5,500 Little Leaguers from 19 leagues in 10 communities all over the North Shore.