Tigers Walk-Off Yankees in Extras in Little League Classic

The seventh annual Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, took place Wednesday night between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees. The Little League World Series is a worldwide tournament that began in 1947, which showcases the 20 best Little League teams around the world, crowning an eventual world champion. In 2017, the MLB started playing games in Williamsport about 10 minutes away from the Little League complex. Both teams rolled in during the day, walked around, met fans, and eventually made their way over to the Little League stadiums to watch the kids play. The coolest part about this is that the big leaguers watch the kids, which, according to many of them, is a surreal experience. After the games throughout the day, everyone makes their way over to the stadium where the big leaguers play. The game is only open for players on the teams, their families, and Williamsport residents, making it that much more interactive for the kids involved. 

Newest Yankee Jazz Chisholm Jr. instantly became a fan favorite, as he was on Instagram live on the bus over to the complex with little leaguers on the bus with him. He instantly became friends with a member of Nevada’s team Russell McGee, calling him his “little brother” in an interview. Accordingly, Chisholm Jr. gave McGee his phone number, followed him back on social media, gave him gear, and promised to “help him get to the big leagues”. Similarly, the injured Yankees star with Nevada all throughout the Yankees’ game, right next to his new best friend. Another wholesome moment was Tigers reliever Will Vest having a blast sliding down the infamous hill right behind Lamade Stadium, the primary field in the Little League complex.

Now, onto the Major League Baseball game that was played amidst all this fun. The only scoring before the ninth inning came in the sixth inning when Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres scored on a passed ball. However, in the ninth, the Tigers rallied against Yankees closer Clay Holmes, as a Jace Jung RBI single led to Holmes’ 10th blown save of the season. Even though a DJ LeMahieu single put the Yankees out front in the 10th, as Zach McKinstry drove in a run and Parker Meadows drove him in to win the game for Detroit. The Yankees struggles continue as a young Tigers team continues to develop. Overall, it was a very successful day in Williamsport, as the little leaguers can say they saw a walk-off in that game.