KEARNY, N.J. -- Little League Baseball Inc. is looking into players' claims that their coaches asked them to throw a game against a crosstown rival.

Members of the Kearny National All-Stars team said their coaches wanted to make it easier for the Kearny American All-Stars to win the district tournament. The National team was 1-5 with no chance of advancing but the American All-Stars were 6-0.

One National player filed a complaint with U.S. Little League officials, and the mayor of Kearny has ordered an inquiry.

"They asked us, 'What do you want to do with the Kearny game? Do you want to blow it or do you want to play?''' infielder Mike Capelao told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Tuesday's editions. "I didn't say anything. But then at the game, all of the kids were like 'We want to win!'''

The coaches, Larry Davidson and Justin Raia, denied telling the players to throw the July 12 game.

Lance Van Auken, a spokesman for Little League Baseball Inc., said that because both teams were eliminated there probably would not be any immediate action.

"Obviously if it is true, it's certainly distressing and not a very sportsmanlike thing to do,'' Van Auken said.