WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Josh Bell didn’t find himself dispensing much advice during an afternoon spent with 12-year-old Little Leaguers.
“No one came to me and asked, ‘What do you think about my swing?’” Bell said. “It was more like, ‘Follow me on Instagram’ or like this or that picture. It was more lighthearted.”
Then, he gave them a firsthand demonstration of how to hit one out.
Bell hit a home run and drove in four runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates over the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 in the MLB Little League Classic on Sunday night.
The teams played at renovated Bowman Field, a 91-year-old minor league ballpark located 5 miles from where the Little League World Series is taking place.
Little Leaguers were seated in the front rows for the game, after spending the afternoon mingling with the big-league players, part of a Major League Baseball initiative to celebrate youth baseball.
The Pirates shook hands on the field, as they always do after a victory, the final out of MLB’s first regular-season game in Williamsport.
And then — in a nod to Little League baseball — both teams lined up at home plate and shook hands with each other, throwing in some hugs and high-fives to finish off a feel-good day.
“It was refreshing every once in a while to be able to look in the stands and see the kids watching the game,” Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle said. “It was one of the highlights of my career.”
Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny said he appreciated the atmosphere inside a 2,366-seat venue that was packed with 2,596 fans.
“You can’t help but get caught up, especially these kids treating our players like they’re heroes as they walk through there,” Matheny said. “Pretty special stuff. I think that’s something they never get used to completely.”
Little League players took part all night, beginning with the opening pitch.
PIRATES 6, CARDINALS 3
A player from each team lined up from center field and around the bases to relay the first pitch to Pirates catcher Chris Stewart. Players also relayed lineup cards, answered trivia questions on the field for Xboxes and signed memorabilia. Kids got the best seats in the house — in the front rows and winding around both dugouts.
They also got a chance to take over the stadium public address system, announcing players as they walked to the plate, and were treated to nearly 200 snow cones bought by Cardinals outfielder Tommy Pham.
Bell sent a pitch from Mike Leake (7-12) over the right-center wall for a two-run home run in the first inning. The rookie slugger added a two-run single in the third to give Pittsburgh the lead for good.
“He’s a maturing player,” Hurdle said. “His overall game has just found a good, competitive place at this level. He’s become a very definite guy that can do some damage at the plate.”
PHILLIES 5, GIANTS 2 Rookie slugger Rhys Hoskins homered again, sending visiting Philadelphia over the San Francisco. Hoskins connected for a solo drive in the ninth inning, giving him five home runs in his first 11 major league games.
NATIONALS 4, PADRES 1 Gio Gonzalez allowed five singles and struck out eight as he almost got through the seventh inning to lead visiting Washington by the San Diego. The NL East-leading Nationals won three of four against the Padres.
BREWERS 8, ROCKIES 4 Jesus Aguilar hit two home runs, Chase Anderson won in his return from the disabled list and the visiting Milwaukee Brewers beat Colorado for its sixth victory in seven games. Keon Broxton drove in two runs and Jonathan Villar added three hits as the Brewers remained two games behind first-place Chicago in the NL Central.
BRAVES 8, REDS 1 Tyler Flowers’ grand slam broke open a close game in host Atlanta’s six-run fifth inning, Sean Newcomb earned his first home victory and the Braves beat the Cincinnati. Newcomb (2-7) allowed five hits in five scoreless innings for his first victory since June 27 at San Diego.
MARLINS 6, METS 4 Giancarlo Stanton hit his major league-leading 45th home run and Adam Conley struck out a career-high 11, leading the visiting Miami over the New York. Stanton connected for a three-run shot off Jacob deGrom (13-7). He had homered in six consecutive games before coming up short Wednesday night.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RAYS 3, MARINERS 0 Blake Snell allowed only two hits in seven innings for his second consecutive victory following a long drought, and the host Tampa Bay beat Seattle. Kevin Keirmaier and Adeiny Hechavarria homered for the Rays, who snapped a four-game skid and won for the first time in six tries against Seattle this season.
RED SOX 5, YANKEES 1 Jackie Bradley Jr. tripled in two runs and singled in another, and Rick Porcello pitched six innings of a combined three-hitter to help the AL East-leading Red Sox beat visiting New York and extend their lead over the Yankees to five games. The Red Sox won for the 14th time in 17 games.
ANGELS 5, ORIOLES 4 Pinch-hitter Cameron Maybin singled home the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning, Kole Calhoun and Andrelton Simmons homered and surging Los Angeles beat host Baltimore. The Angels took advantage of nine walks to win the deciding matchup of a three-game series in which they hit 11 home runs.
ATHLETICS 3, ASTROS 2 Marcus Semien wound up with a little league home run when host Houston kept throwing the ball away, Jharel Cotton pitched well into the seventh inning and Oakland edged the Astros. The A’s got their other run in the sixth on a passed ball by Juan Centeno.
ROYALS 7, INDIANS 4 Cheslor Cuthbert homered and drove in three runs, Alcides Escobar also had three RBI and host Kansas City defeated Cleveland to avoid a three-game sweep. Cam Gallagher also drove in a run for the Royals. WHITE SOX 3, RANGERS 2 Miguel Gonzalez escaped early trouble and pitched six scoreless innings, leading visiting Chicago over Texas.
INTERLEAGUE
CUBS 6, BLUE JAYS 5 (10) Alex Avila capped Chicago’s three-run 10th inning with a two-run single, and the host Cubs swept Toronto with a wild victory. With two outs and the bases loaded, Avila lined a base hit into right field against Roberto Osuna (3-4).
TWINS 12, DIAMONDBACKS 5 Eddie Rosario hit a grand slam in a nine-run first inning and host Minnesota Twins routed the Arizona to complete a three-game sweep. Bartolo Colon (5-10) allowed four runs over six innings for his third victory in five decisions since being signed by the Twins.
TIGERS 6, DODGERS 1 Justin Verlander and Kenta Maeda both took no-hitters into the sixth inning, but only Verlander was able to keep his outstanding performance going as the host Detroit beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1. Verlander (9-8) allowed a home run to Curtis Granderson in the sixth, but shortly after his no-hit bid ended, the Tigers scored four runs in the bottom of the inning against Maeda.