Tharick earns merit with one-hitter
Curacao advances to International Final for 3rd straight year

By Mark Rogoff
Special Correspondent

Tharick Martines suffered a tough-luck, 4-1 loss to Japan in Friday’s International tourney opener.

The 6-foot tall righthander gave up only 2 earned runs, while striking out 12 Toyko hitters – a team that hit a combined .373 in 3 round-robin games. Not bad against the team that some say is again the odds-on favorite to run the table.

Wednesday evening’s International semi-final, however, was a different story. He used some luck in his 2nd outing of the Series.

Despite an uncharacteristic 7 walks, Martines kept Venezuela from tallying the tote board, striking out 14 and taking a no-hitter into the 5th, as Curacao went on to win 10-0. A dinky infield single to Jimali Fermin broke up the no-hit bid.

“I wasn’t totally focused,” Maritnes said through assistant coach Michelangelo Celestina. “I was anxious, but today’s game is the best I have pitched (in the regional and World Series tournaments).”

He allowed just one ball out of the infield, a fly ball to left off the bat of Venezuela’s Jhonny Sandrea. Three of the walks had led to a bases-loaded jam in the 4th, but Martines struck out Eugenia Yajure on a called 3rd strike to end the frame.

Martines’ 14 strikeouts were a career best, according to the hurler himself.

“He was throwing very hard, and the kids were very impatient,” said Venezuela head coach Alfonso Avendano. “It was a bad day.”

Martines even helped himself out with a 3-run homer to left that extended the lead to 7-0.

“It was fun for me to hit a home run for the team,” he said.

Curacao had scored just 12 runs in its 3 pool-play games, 9 of which came in their win over Transatlantic. They hit a measly .226 as a team, striking out a combined 24 times over 62 official at-bats (39 percent).

The Pabao Little Leaguers Wednesday raised their team clip to roughly .267 by pounding out 10 hits.

Curacao plated a run in the first and 2nd innings to give Martines a comfy 2-0 lead. Jonathan Schoop, who led off the game with a bloop single to left, scored on a wild pitch. Carol de Palm in the 2nd came across when Schoop was hit by a pitch with the bases full.

The Caribbean champs added to their lead in the 3rd, scoring a pair of runs on Jeandre Perreira’s 2-RBI single to left.

“It was enough for us to win the game,” Celestina said of the first 2 runs. “We talk a lot yesterday (about the offensive struggles). We came in today focusing on hitting. Without hitting we can’t win the game.”

Curacao leadoff specialist Jonathan School turned in his 2nd 3-hit effort of the tournament, reaching base safely in 4 at-bats while scoring 2 runs.

“I focus to be on base every time I bat,” he said. “My job is to get on base every time.”

His next opportunity will come in Saturday’s International Final. Curacao awaits the winner of Thursday’s semi-final between Japan and Mexico.

“It’s amazing,” Celestina said of advancing to the International championship. “We must do our best to get to the World Series (championship).”