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Curacao beats Nevada to win first LLWS title since 2004

By Chris Masse 8 min read

Curacao announcers started counting down the outs as the conclusion drew closer. Still, they temporarily muted their enthusiasm.

Four previous times, the Little League World Series championship only produced Curacao heartbreak, including two walk-off home run losses.

Not this time. Not this team. So, let all the joyous emotions out, Curacao.

You are the Little League Baseball king of the world.

Jaymiell Martina smashed a go-ahead, two-run fourth inning double; 11 players combined for 12 hits and Willemstad, Curacao captured that elusive world championship, defeating Henderson, Nevada, 11-2 Sunday at Lamade Stadium. The Pariba Little Leagues from Curacao ended a run of four straight world final losses and became the country's second world champion, joining the 2004 team which featured Major Leaguer Jurickson Profar.

"I was very happy, not for me, but for the people of Curacao," manager Pablo Padilla said. "It puts Curacao up high."

As high as any team can go.

Curacao completed a dominant Series run in style, finishing 5-0 and overcoming a 2-0 third-inning deficit. That was the only time the new world champions trailed at the Series and, despite never hitting a home run, Curacao outscored five teams, 34-5.

Along the way, Curacao shutout three opponents; received steady production from all 14 players and left no doubt that it was the world's top team. Literally, every player was a threat and Curacao scored 11 straight runs over the game's final four innings, turning a 2-0 deficit into an 11-2 lead.

Go ahead and break out the McDonald's. Asked how they would celebrate, Padilla said the team planned on heading down the street and eating like champions at the fast food chain. It seemed fitting after receiving so much love from American fans throughout the last two weeks.

"Our team is a great team," Shardjion De Lanoi said when ask why his team became so popular outside Curacao. "When they ask us to sign a ball, we sign. When they ask us to be friends with them, we become friends."

The friendly champions made it official at 5:58 p.m. when center fielder Glendry Ryan snared a liner hit near the warning track. Almost simultaneously, players tossed their gloves high into the air. They then celebrated in shallow center field, literally jumping for joy as they bounced around in a circle.

Next up, was the world title photo and a picture which Curacao will remember forever. Then, a victory lap carrying the championship banner, another memory those players will never forget.

"When we saw people from the United States buying our shirts, and saying we have a good team that made us happy," Padilla said. "It's great to see them cheering for us."

Henderson, Nevada received loud cheers all year, too. It won the U.S. championship a day earlier and endured its first loss all summer, highlighting how fantastic it was this year. The Paseo Verde Little Leaguers became Nevada's third national champion and second straight.

And Nevada gave Curacao its biggest scare at the series, taking a 2-0 second inning lead when Maddox Bryan belted a two-run double. Nevada emphatically won the national championship, outscoring four teams, 37-13. It had not trailed since the fourth inning of its Series opener and Nevada mirrored Curacao in balance, tenacity and production, scoring at least five runs in every American game.

The book did not have the ending Nevada wanted. Still, what a story this terrific team authored.

"If I do that I might cry," Nevada manager Cory Edwards when asked about how remarkable his team's run was. "It's an experience. They're 12. I hope it's not the best experience of their lives but I'm sure it's going to be Top 10 or up there. I hope that what they take with them is that they can conquer and do anything."

Early on, it appeared Nevada might keep rolling and become the state's first world champion. Paxton Hinsen threw two scoreless innings, the defense turned its fourth double play and a potent offense again pressured the defense, while taking its, 2-0 lead.

But, facing a deficit for the first time, Curacao did not flinch. Instead, the champions immediately responded and tied the game. Again displaying the team's relentless offensive depth, the bottom of the order ignited that rally with Jordan Richards dropping a bunt single and De Lanoi, who had missed the last two games with an illness, ripped a game-tying two-run double.

"I had do do something for my name," De Lanoi said.

Mission accomplished. And, an inning later, Curacao stayed on the attack and took the lead for good. The innings started innocent enough with two straight batters retired, but Curacao turned it into something special. Naeem Angel Coeriel drew a walk, V-dien Iganacio Lindo singled and Martina delivered the hit of his life.

A pitch following that walk, Martina drilled his double to deep right-center field and Curacao led, 4-2.

"I was thinking of hitting the ball to right-center; opposite way," Martina said. "He threw a pitch on the outside corner and that's where I hit it."

Curacao again provided two-out thunder in the fifth inning, breaking things open with three more runs. De Lanoi was hit by a bases-loaded pitch and winning pitcher Junensly DeWindt rocked a two-run double to deep center field, making it, 8-2.

That lead looked even larger considering how fabulous relief pitcher Glendry Ryan has pitched at the Series. The hard-throwing right-hander entered in the fourth inning, having not allowed a hit, while striking out 16 in 6 1/3 innings.

Ryan showed his human side in the fifth inning, surrendering his first Series hit and walking two as Nevada refused to go away and loaded the bases with two outs. Michael Guerrero battled hard and fouled off three 0-2 pitches but a well-hit liner to center field was caught by Antonia.

De Windt contained Nevada for three innings, but Padilla wasted no time going to Ryan after James Esber opened the fourth inning with a walk. True to form, Ryan retired the next three batters and Curacao started tying a bow on a world championship win 22 years in the making. He finished the Series, allowing just one hit in 8 2/3 innings, striking out 20.

"When we came here, I thought he would be the man to stop the opposing team," Padilla said. "That's what he did here."

Nevada took the early lead by doing what it did best all Series; pressuring the defense and delivering timely hits. Logan Edwards hit a walk-one single before Michael Kleiner dropped a perfect bunt single which led to a throwing error, putting runners on second and third.

Bryan, who collected eight Series hits, created another memory, roping a two-run single. Bryan went 2 for 2 and drove in a Series-best eight runs.

"Maddox did an amazing job," Edwards said. "I can't express how he came through enough."

Curacao threatened in the first two innings, twice delivering one-out singles. Hinsen, however, ended both threats, first inducing the fourth double play Nevada turned at the Series. Next, he struck out consecutive hitters on his way to fanning the side in the second inning.

Just when it appeared Nevada had the momentum, Curacao showed it had the will to match its skill and thundered back.

It never let up either. Curacao scored multiple runs in each of the final four innings. Whatever hope Nevada had of making a stunning comeback pretty much ended in the top of the sixth when Curacao added three runs.

Still, Nevada went down fighting, loading the bases with one out. Steven Felix, however, produced a strikeout and induced the lineout. He, De Windt and Ryan combined on a five-hitter and denied Nevada the timely hits it so often produced this summer. They left the bases loaded in each of the last two innings.

Nevada left the field disappointed, but that will dissipate. It is the country's best team and what it accomplished this summer will long carry on.

"I'm so proud of the different dynamic of what you have to do to get here; how you have to live when you're here and put on camera and, ultimately, still told to play baseball and execute well," Edwards said. "The perspective is something I don't think they have yet, but when they look back and kind of realize what they gained from here on out, I hope they shoot me a text or give me a call and just remember that it was a hell of a ride."

Starting at /week.