2012 Little League World Series — Kotaro Kiyomiya (2 HRs) powers Japan past Panama and into LLWS final

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Japan’s big bats helped the team from Tokyo earn a trip to the Little League World Series title game.

Japan hit five homers, including two from 13-year-old slugger Kotaro Kiyomiya, to beat Aguadulce, Panama, 10-2 on Saturday for the international championship.

Japan returns Sunday for the tournament title game against either California or Tennessee. They’ll meet later Saturday for the U.S. crown.

The 6-foot Kiyomiya is imposing at the plate. He’s become so known for his power that fans sitting on the hill beyond the right-field fence started holding a “Kotaro Target” sign near a bright red bull’s-eye. Kiyomiya’s first-inning homer sailed deep down the right-field line.

Edisson Gonzalez had an RBI single in the first while Daniel Castro added a run-scoring double in the second for Panama. It got Panama within 4-2 going into the third.

Rintaro Hirano homered to center in the third before Kiyomiya went deep again in the fourth, this time the opposite way to left-center to make it 7-2.

Starter Yuta Ishida allowed four hits and struck out six over four innings, while three relievers combined for two shutout innings to close out the game…

via 2012 Little League World Series — Kotaro Kiyomiya (2 HRs) powers Japan past Panama and into LLWS final – ESPN.

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