Staten Island's Little League World Series participant faced a daunting task Sunday: Defeat Houston's ace, who had not allowed a run since regionals began and struck out five of the first six New York batters he faced.

Then the ace blinked, and Staten Island's counterpart didn't let up.

Gregory Bruno found his way in and out of trouble on the mound, and shortstop Steven Martinez had an RBI single, as Mid-Island took down Post Oak Little League, 2-1, and advanced to the next round of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Bruno and Ryan Selvaggi, Post Oak's starting pitcher, took the mound in a touted pitching matchup with neither starter having allowed a run in the tournament before Sunday.

That matchup lived up to the hype at first, with just one hit, given up by Bruno, recorded by the middle of the third inning.

But Selvaggi's sparkling command finally faltered in a bottom of the third that featured multiple wild pitches and a hit batsman.

After he allowed back-to-back hits and bounced a pitch in the dirt that advanced the runners to second and third, the Houston ace sailed a pitch to the backstop. Robert Cavalieri rushed in from third to score the game's first run.

Martinez made Selvaggi pay after he set up runners at first and third when he hit Bruno. Facing a new pitcher, Carter Pitts, the Staten Island shortstop lined a fastball into right field, driving in Chris Bedford and extending the lead to 2-0.

Bruno gave Mid-Island a scare in the next frame when he two runners got on to start the top of the fourth, and Post Oak cut the lead to 2-1 when Matthew Hedrick hit a double onto the warning track.

But New York's ace, fresh off 2.2 shutout innings against Des Moines in the team's Little League World Series opener Thursday, stranded two runners in scoring position by inducing a line out and a ground out.

Bruno struggled to find his command at times, allowing three walks, but he took the lead to the sixth inning before hitting the mandated limit of 85 pitches.

Bedford then stepped onto the mound finished the job, getting a ground out and strikeout to secure Mid-Island's victory.

Bruno finished with six strikeouts and three hits to get the win. Selvaggi took the loss, charged with both runs despite six strikeouts and just two hits allowed.

The loss was Post Oak's first of the year, having gone undefeated in qualifying like Staten Island. Mid-Island, meanwhile, pushed its win streak to 17.

Staten Island is now just a win away from the United States Championship Game and needs just three wins to take the World Series title.

Mid-Island will face Honolulu in the next round Wednesday night.

Houston, meanwhile, falls to the loser's bracket and must win Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday to advance to the U.S. championship.