Domo arigato! Team Japan wins LLWS

Associated Press

SO. WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

Japan’s players weren’t about to leave the Lamade Stadium field without some important souvenirs.

Still wearing their bright red caps and white uniforms, they leaned down on the mound to scoop up bags of dirt for what promises to be a happy flight home from a 10-day stay in Pennsylvania.

Fitting, since the team from Tokyo relied on defense and a pair of pint-sized aces to win the Little League World Series.

Japan limited the potent bats of Waipahu, Hawaii, to four singles, and got a homer and three RBIs from Konan Tomori in a 4-1 win on a sunny Sunday afternoon to end the United States’ run of five straight World Series titles.

Ryusuke Ikeda got the win with after striking out five and allowing all four hits over three innings, before Ichiro Ogasawara pitched the final three hitless innings, striking out three to get his third save.

They met on the mound after right fielder Teruma Nagata caught the last out out to begin celebrating.

They were a reserved bunch afterward as they faced TV cameras and reporter’s questions as if they were big league ballplayers.

“I was obviously very happy,” the 13-year-old Ikeda said calmly through interpreter Brian Thompson. “The first thing I did was to run to the mound to give Ogasawara a hug.”

After postgame handshakes at the plate with Hawaii, Japan got another memento — a banner that read “2010 Little League World Series Champions.” They finished the tournament a perfect 5-0.