(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
        Curaçao opens Caribbean Series with victory
Nederlands
 MIAMI, Florida (USA) -
Curaçao Suns opened the 66th edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe) on Thursday (February 1) with a 6-5 win against Naranjeros de Hermosillo from Mexico.
Curaçao trailed 2-0, but turned the game around in the third inning.
However, with a 6-2 lead, a suspensful ninth inning followed.
This year, the annual event is played in Miami, Florida (USA).
It marks the first time since 1991 that the Caribbean Series is organized outside of Latin America.
And it also is the first time that the tournament is held in a Major League-stadium, as all games are played in LoanDepot Park, the home of Miami Marlins.
Seven teams participate in this years tournament, who all are the champions of their respective professional leagues: Criollos de Caguas (Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rico), Curaçao Suns (Curaçao Professional Baseball), Federales de Chiriquí (Liga Profesional de Béisbol de Panamá), Gigantes de Rivas (Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Nicaragua), Naranjeros de Hermosillo (Liga Mexicana del Pacifico, Mexico), Tiburones de La Guaira (Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional, Venezuela) and Tigres del Licey (Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana, Dominican Republic).
Curaçao opened the event against Naranjeros de Hermosillo from Mexico.
The Curaçao-team erased an early 2-0 deficit in the third inning.
Mexico scored twice in the second inning off of starter Cody Mincey when Aaron Altherr and Julian Rafael Omelas led off the at bat with back-to-back homeruns.
In the top of the third inning, Curaçao rallied for three runs.
With one out, the bases got loaded via Andrelton Simmons (single), Roger Bernadina (single) and Jurickson Profar (walk).
All three scored when Didi Gregorius followed with a baseclearing triple.
...Didi Gregorius delivered a 3-run triple for Curaçao...
...On the photo, he plays for the Netherlands during...
...the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Taiwan...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the bottom of the fifth, Mexico got a runner on third base with one out.
Kevin Kelly then took over the Curaçao-pitching, struckout the first batter he faced, then got an inning-ending flyout.
This year, Kelly will play in the Italian League for San Marino.
In the top of the sixth, Curaçao added two runs when Jonathan Schoop and Ademar Rifaela started the at bat with back-to-back homeruns, increasing the lead to 5-2.
Thereafter, Mexican starter Manuel Antonio Barreda was relieved by Juan Manuel Gamez.
In the eighth inning, Curaçao added an insurance run when Wladimir Balentien homered with one out.
This really was an insurance run, as Mexico brought the suspense back, scoring three runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
With one out, Ramiro Peña doubled and moved to third base on a grounder.
But with two outs Kevin Kelly ran into some problems.
He first gave up a runscoring single to Aaron Altherr, then a 2-run homerun to Julian Rafael Ornelas, who also had homered in the second inning.
With the score now at 6-5, Anthony Herrera took over from Kelly.
He got a game-ending flyout to secure the lead and earn a save, while Kelly became the winning pitcher.
In the first game on Thursday, the Puerto Rican-champion won 5-2 against the representative from Nicaragua.
Curaçao is participating for the second time.
Last year WildCats KJ74 represented Curaçao.
This year, Curaçao Suns are participating in the Caribbean Series.
That team won the inaugural edition of the Kampionato Beisbòl Profeshonal Kòrsou (Curaçao Professional Baseball League), which was held in a tournament-format on December 3-10 last year.
Besides Curaçao Suns, two other teams took part in that tournament, Curaçao Goats and Willemstad Cannons.
All teams played four games.
Curaçao Suns won three to finish in first place and qualify for the Caribbean Series.
Two players of Curaçao Neptunus played for Willemstad Cannons.
Infielder Dwayne Kemp played in three games, was 3-for-10, scored twice and batted in three runs.
Keegan Pieternella, who last season made his debut with Neptunus, played in two games for this team and was 0-for-5.
Amongst their teammates were Yurendell de Caster, Juremi Profar, Andrelton Simmons, Jiandido Tromp and Raywendley Van Gurp.
Two players of Dutch champion Amsterdam Pirates, both pitchers, also appeared in the Curaçao-series.
Nelmerson Angela started two games and was 0-0 with seven strikeouts in five innings for Willemstad.
Scott Prins started twice for Curaçao Goats and was 1-0, striking out ten batters in 10 2/3 inning.
...Curaçao Manager...
...Hainley Statia with the...
...trophy for 2nd place at...
...the 2022 Baseball...
...Week Haarlem in...
...Haarlem (Netherlands)...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
HCAW-player Delano Selassa was a teammate of Prins.
In four games, he was 5-for-11 with two runs scored and two RBI's.
Other teammates of Prins and Selassa were Wladimir Balentien, Didi Gregorius, Jonathan Schoop, Sharlon Schoop and Juan Carlos Sulbaran.
Also playing for this team was Ceddanne Rafaela, who last year made his Major League-debut with Boston Red Sox.
Other players were young prospects Jurdrick Profar, the younger brother of Jurickson and Juremi, Peson Revierre, Deshandro Tromp and Nayerich Waterfort, who all signed a professional contract last month in the International Draft.
On the roster of Curaçao Suns during the Caribbean Series are seven players who played in the Major League: RHP Shairon Martis, IF Didi Gregorius, IF Jonathan Schoop, IF Andrelton Simmons, OF Roger Bernadina, OF Wladimir Balentien and OF Jurickson Profar.
Simmons recently announced his retirement as Major League-player.
Gregorius, Schoop and Profar are still officially Free Agent.
Schoop and Profar were both released last year by respectively Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres.
Gregorius last played in the Majors in 2022 for Philadelphia Phillies before being released.
Except for Martis, all were in the starting line-up in Curaçao's first game.
Six players on the Curaçao-roster last year played in the Dutch big league: LHP Nelmerson Angela, RHP Scott Prins (both Amsterdam Pirates), RHP Kevin Kelly, RHP Shairon Martis, OF Roger Bernadina (all Neptunus) and RHP Juan Carlos Sulbaran (RCH-Pinguïns).
Last month, Kevin Kelly, Shairon Martis and Roger Bernadina ended their Winter Season in Nicaragua.
Most players on the Curaçao-roster have played in the Netherlands National Kingdom Team in recent years.
The roster of Curaçao Suns looks as follows:
Pitchers: Nelmerson Angela, Wendell Floranus, Anthony Herrera, Kevin Kelly, Shairon Martis, Eric Mendez Matos, Cody Mincey, Scott Prins, Alexander Rodriguez, Arlison Rodriguez, Cerilio Soleana, Shea Spitzbarth, Juan Carlos Sulbaran, Franklin Van Gurp.
Catchers: Hendrick Clementina, Dashenko Ricardo, Ulrich Snijders (*).
Infielders: Didi Gregorius, Dudley Leonora, Juremi Profar, Jonathan Schoop, Sharlon Schoop, Darren Seferina, Andrelton Simmons.
Outfielders: Edmond Americaan, Roger Bernadina, Wladimir Balentien, Jonathan Martijn (*), Jurickson Profar, Ademar Rifaela.
(*) - Snijders and Martijn were reserve-players.
Manager of Curaçao is former professional player and former Netherlands Team-player Hainley Statia.
Two other former Orange-players are members of his coaching-staff, being Pitching Coach Calvin Maduro and Hitting Coach Ivanon Coffie.
Other coaches are Carlos Pineda (Bench Coach), Franklin Confesor (1B Coach), Ghionelo Jansen (3B Coach), Gustavo De Jongh (Bullpen Coach) and Sorick Liberia (Quality Contol Coach).
Gianfranco Wawoe is Scout.
(February 1)
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