Curacao looked like they were going to finish Sunday atop the standings at the Caribbean Series, but Colombia worked overtime to deny them.
The Vaqueros de Monteria, the Liga Beisbol Profesional Colombiano champions, defeated Team Curacao 6-5 in 13 innings at Estadio Forum La Guaira Sunday afternoon.
Gustavo Campero led off the game for Colombia with a double to right field, then promptly stole third two pitches later. Curacao’s Shairon Martis then walked Francisco Acuna on five pitches to put runners at the corner with no outs. Jordan Diaz’ hot shot to third enabled Campero to dash home and score to give Colombia a 1-0 lead when Curacao third baseman Darren Sefarina threw to second to retire Acuna.
Fabian Pertuz’ infield single in the top of the fourth brought Jesus Marriaga home for a 2-0 Colombia lead.
Curacao got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Sharlon Schoop scored on Sicnarf Loopstok’s single to left, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Major League veteran Andrelton Simmons got Curacao a 3-2 lead with a two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fifth that also brought home Sharlon Schoop and chased Carlos Quevedo from the mound.
Quevedo went 5.1 innings, allowing five hits and three runs, striking out four and walking two before yielding to Kevin Escorcia.
Curacao added another insurance run when Sicnarf Loopstok grounded to short and Colombian shortstop Fabian Pertuz fielded the ball on a short hop and attempted an off-balance throw to first that sailed high and wide, allowing Sharlon Schoop to scurry home and give Curacao a 4-2 lead.
But Colombia wasn’t done. In the bottom of the eighth, with Dayan Frias on third and Campero on second, Jordan Diaz singled to center, plating both and tying the game at four apiece.
The game would stay tied at four for four more innings, until Pablo Manzanero doubled to center to score Roger Bernadina in the top of the thirteenth to give Colombia a 5-4 lead. After Bryan Buelvas, who came on as a pinch runner for Manzanero at second, was picked off, Fabian Pertuz drove the second pitch he saw from Curacao’s Cerilio Soleana over the left field wall for a 6-4 Colombia lead.
Colombia threated in the bottom of the 13, plating Wladimir Balentien on a ground out by Andrelton Simmons with two outs, but the next batter, Sicnarf Loopstok, struck on three pitches to end the game.
Both teams ended the day 2-2.
Colombia will face Cuba at 9:30 a.m ET tomorrow, and Curacao will face Puerto Rico at 2 p.m. ET. Both games will be played at La Rinconada in Caracas and will be available via ESPN Deportes and streamed on ESPN+.
