Miami, Florida, USA (CBPC Press): With a spectacular performance from veteran pitcher Shairon Martis, Curacao Suns defeated Nicaragua 6-3 on Monday in the first game of the fifth day of the 2024 Caribbean Series Miami.
In front of a crowd of 5,225 fans, Martis, born in 1987, pitched for a remarkable 8 complete innings, allowing 2 clean runs with 4 hits. With 98 pitches, 63 of them in the strike zone, he struck out 3 and issued 2 walks. Anthony Herrera (0.2, 1 cl) and Kevin Kelly (0.1) followed, with Kelly earning the save.
With this victory, Curacao leveled their win-loss record to 2-2, tying with the Dominican Republic in the 4-5 positions. Meanwhile, Nicaragua, with a 0-4 record, is practically out of the competition for a spot in the semifinals.
In their upcoming games, Curacao will play tomorrow in the prime slot against the Dominican Republic, while Nicaragua will face Mexico at 10:30 in the morning.
The offensive standouts for the winners were Henrik Clementina with a home run and 3 RBIs, Juremi Profar going 4-2 with 2 RBIs, and veteran Wladimir Balentien with 2 hits in 4 turns. For Nicaragua, Francisco Peguero hit a single and a double, scoring 1 and driving in another, and Elián Miranda recorded two doubles in 3 official turns.
Curacao Suns were trailing 2-0 until they turned the game around in the bottom of the fourth against Pedro Torrez. Jurickson Profar got on base with a walk, Wladimir Balentien hit a shot to center, and a sacrifice play on a fielder’s choice with Didi Gregorius loaded the bases. In this context, Jonathan Schoop was retired in a line drive to third, and then his brother Sharlon hit a slow roller through the infield, forcing out Gregorius but bringing in Jarickson from third. Juremi Profar then brought in Balentien and Sharlon Schoop with a single to left.
As if that weren’t enough, the seventh batter and catcher Hendrik Clementina hit a home run to center-left, 395 feet from the plate, bringing in Didi Gregorius and Sharlon Schoop and making the score 6-2.
Nicaragua took the lead in the second inning against starter Shairon Martis, with Dominican reinforcement Francisco Peguero hitting a single to right and designated hitter Elián Miranda hitting a run-scoring double to deep left-center after 2 outs.
Two innings later, in the top of the fourth, Nicaragua added another run against Martis with consecutive doubles from two of their main reinforcements, Puerto Rican Enmanuel García and Dominican Francisco Peguero, making the score 2-0. In the ninth inning, in a lost cause, they added 1 more run.
Nicaragua’s starter, Pedro Torrez, went 3.2 innings, allowing 3 earned runs, striking out 4, and issuing 2 walks. Jesús Linarez (2.1), Carlos Teller (1.0), and Yunior Téllez (1.0) followed.
After these results, the Standings are as follows: Panama (3-0), Puerto Rico (3-1), Venezuela (2-1), Dominican Republic (2-1), Curacao (1-2), and Nicaragua and Mexico (0-3).
Today, Venezuela and Mexico will also play at 3:30 in the afternoon, and in the evening slot, Panama will defend their undefeated record against Mexico. The Dominican Republic team has a rest day on this date.