NEW YORK (AP) – Sal Carbone is a pizza-eating machine – any way he slices it.

Organizers say the Brooklyn man has wolfed down a tad more than 15 slices to beat his own record – 15 – in a competitive chowdown Sunday.

Carbone also won last year’s installment of the annual contest at Rocco’s Pizzeria. The event raises money for the child-welfare organization MercyFirst.

Five pizza eaters faced off Sunday. Contest co-founder and Rocco’s co-owner Joseph Loccisano says runner-up William Millender powered through about 12 ¼ slices.

Loccisano says the contest brought in about $4,000 for MercyFirst.

It runs group homes and other services for about 4,000 children, teenagers and families in New York City and on Long Island.

AP-ES-06-01-08 1743EDT