Mateo lifts Orioles past Red Sox in MLB Little League Classic

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Jorge Mateo felt like a kid again when he arrived in a town overrun by Little Leaguers wanting nothing more to do at a major-league game than chug Gatorades, hurry to reach the front of the line at the ice cream stand and yell for every run — no matter which team scored.

The speedy shortstop keeping Baltimore in the postseason hunt made the tiny stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, sound like Camden Yards for a night. The Little Leaguers had their fill of fun. The Orioles did, too, from cardboard races to the fireworks after the final out.

Mateo lined a bases-loaded double to left field in the eighth inning, driving in three runs and sparking the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night in front of hundreds of cheering Little League World Series players from around the world.

“It's something that reminded me of my own childhood,” Mateo said through an interpreter.

Mateo kept the Orioles 2 1/2 games behind in the race for the third and final AL wild-card spot, and Baltimore won the fifth MLB Little League Classic in front of former President George W. Bush and a sellout crowd of 2,467 fans at historic Bowman Field. Bush shook hands with Orioles and Red Sox players and went into the stands to meet Little Leaguers and their families.

The kids went wild when Mateo ripped a shot off John Schreiber for the three-RBI double and a 5-2 lead. Matt Barnes (0-4) took the loss.

“He’s been so good lately and it’s fun to watch him play,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.

Red Sox pinch-hitter Franchy Cordero, called up for the game from Triple-A Worcester, hit a tying solo homer off reliver Dillon Tate in the eighth that made it 2-all.

“When they came off the field into the