Gabriel de Gracia becomes first Panama player to hit grand slam in Little League World Series in win over Curaçao

A closer look at the 9-3 Aguadulce, Panama win over Willemstad, Curaçao on Friday at Volunteer Stadium.

PLAY OF THE GAME -- Grand slam in the bottom of the first inning: Panama pieced together a 1-2-3 top half of the first inning and played just as strong in the bottom.

With one out and the bases loaded, first baseman Gabriel de Gracia unloaded a ball over the left-center fence to pile on an immediate four-run lead, throwing his arms up to the Aguadulce fan section as he rounded first base.

PANAMA PLAYER OF THE GAME -- Jeykol de Leon: While de Gracia's monster hit in the first inning put Panama in a comfortable spot for much of the game, the four runs proved to be enough cushion with Jeykol de Leon on the mound.

Through five full innings, de Leon struck out six, allowed five hits and forced two 1-2-3 innings. Despite letting up three runs in the fourth, de Leon helped preserve a mighty initial lead that shrank as the game wore on. In the bottom of the fifth, de Leon homered to give his club more breathing room. He finished 2 for 2 at the plate.

CURAÇAO PLAYER OF THE GAME -- Joshua Acosta: The Curaçao right fielder put his team on the board in the fourth inning with a two RBI single to center. It was his second of the day and he finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

After being down 5-0, Curaçao cut it to a two-run game with a Panama error in a bases-loaded situation following Acosta's play.

BEST EFFORT -- Curaçao's Davey-Jay Rijke hit a ground ball to Panama's shortstop in the top of the fourth inning. However, after throwing on the jets and making a photo finish at the bag, the play went under review.

The call was overturned and Rijke was ruled safe at first base. Beforehand, no player had reached base since the bottom of the second inning. Rijke was the second player for Willemstad to reach base all game. Curaçao then scored three runs to jump right back in the game after starting with a five-run deficit.

FLASHING LEATHER -- Through the first three innings, only one Curaçao player reached base, right fielder Joshua Acosta with a base hit.

Panama's field held firm behind de Leon, forcing three groundouts and two flyouts. In that time, de Leon struck out four batters across 35 pitches.

WHAT THE ADULTS SAY -- "After they got their three runs that inning, I kept talking to the players to keep them calm and that we're still in the lead," Panama manager Ubaldo Ramos IV said on rebounding after the fourth inning. "We're still up two runs, let's just keep playing our game."

"It was a big inning to come back, but we fell," Curaçao manager Zaino Everett said on the fourth inning. "We aren't out of the tournament. We have to go talk about it. The inning was good. We need to come back for the next game."

WHAT THE KIDS SAY -- "I feel very proud that I could help the team, get them ahead early in the game," de Gracia said on his grand slam. "I thank (Ramos IV) and God."

WHAT IT MEANS -- Upon adding an additional three runs after de Leon's homer in the fifth inning, Panama cruised out to the win after a shaky fourth inning. De Gracia is now the first Panama player to hit a grand slam in the Little League World Series.

Aguadulce will face Chinese Taipei at 1 p.m. Monday at Volunteer Stadium. With the loss, Curaçao falls to the elimination bracket and will take on the winner between Australia and Italy at 1 p.m. Sunday at Volunteer.