Birmingham reaches Dodger Stadium; Acuna honored

Birmingham reached the City Section Open Division championship with a 4-1 semifinal win over Carson on May 20, sending the Patriots to Dodger Stadium for a title game against El Camino Real. Daily News reported Thursday that sophomore pitcher Carlos Acuna was central to the victory and that he dedicated the performance to his late grandfather. (latimes.com) Other published playoff listings and game reports identified the score, the strikeout total and the championship matchup. The result put Birmingham one win from a City Section title in the section’s top baseball bracket. El Camino Real, Birmingham’s West Valley League rival, advanced by beating Granada Hills Charter 4-3 in the other semifinal, setting up an all-league final at Dodger Stadium. (uk.sports.yahoo.com) ### How did Birmingham get through the semifinal? Birmingham won 4-1 over Carson in the Open Division semifinals at Cal State Northridge on May 20, according to the Los Angeles Times and multiple playoff brackets. The victory followed Birmingham’s 5-1 quarterfinal win over Banning and Carson’s 6-5 quarterfinal win over Garfield. (dailynews.com) Carson entered as the No. 4 seed and Birmingham as the No. 1 seed in the City Section Open Division bracket. The semifinal result sent Birmingham into the championship game scheduled for May 23. (uk.sports.yahoo.com) ### What did Carlos Acuna do on the mound? Carlos Acuna threw a complete game in the semifinal and struck out seven, the Los Angeles Times and Yahoo’s pickup of that report said. The same reports said he walked three, allowed four hits and threw 102 pitches. Acuna’s outing improved his record to 11-0, according to the published game report. (latimes.com) Daily News described the win as one in which he honored his late grandfather, giving the semifinal a personal dimension beyond the bracket result. ### Why was this game about more than a trip to Dodger Stadium? (maxpreps.com) Daily News’ account framed Acuna’s performance around his late grandfather, saying the pitcher honored him in the victory that sent Birmingham to the final. The article summary available in search results did not include a direct quote, but it identified that tribute as the defining personal detail from the semifinal. (latimes.com) That detail sat alongside a straightforward baseball result: Birmingham shut down Carson and advanced. The combination of a complete-game effort and the personal dedication is why Acuna was the focal point of the postgame coverage. (dailynews.com) ### Who is waiting at Dodger Stadium? El Camino Real is Birmingham’s opponent in the Open Division championship after a 4-3 semifinal win over Granada Hills Charter. Sports Illustrated’s high school report said the final would match West Valley League rivals at Dodger Stadium. (dailynews.com) NFHS Network’s event listing shows the CIF LA City Open Division Baseball Championship between El Camino Real and Birmingham at 1 p.m. PDT on May 23 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. ### What comes next for Birmingham? May 23 is the next date on Birmingham’s schedule, with the Patriots set to face El Camino Real for the City Section Open Division title. (dailynews.com) The championship is listed for 1 p.m. at Dodger Stadium, with Birmingham trying to convert its No. 1 seed into a section crown. (nfhsnetwork.com) (si.com)