Japan’s Kitasua Little League celebrates after winning the Little League World Series Championship baseball game against Lewisberry, Pa., on Aug. 30.Gene J. Puskar/The Associated Press
With more than 42,000 fans cheering against them, the Tokyo players found themselves down eight runs in the first inning of the Little League championship game against Lewisberry, Pa.
That brought out manager Junji Hidaka's inner Yogi Berra and sparked a record rally that saw the Kitasuna Little League pound out 22 hits in an 18-11 comeback victory in a battle of undefeated teams.
It was the 10th title for Japan, second behind Taiwan's record 17. It's the third title for the Kitasuna Little League team, which also took home championship pennants in 2001 and 2012.
The teams broke the previous Little League record of 23 combined runs in a championship game – a mark that had stood since 1947.