(Source: Curacao Professional Baseball)
In the first game of the 2023 Curacao Professional Baseball League the Willemstad Cannons beat the Curacao Goats 5-2.
All games in the Curacao Professional Baseball League will be seven innings.
The Willemstad Cannons pitching staff combined for seven innings allowing four hits, two earned runs, four walks, and 12 strikeouts.
The Curacao Goats got on the board first in the top of the second inning as Willemstad Cannons starting pitcher Nelmerson Angela threw over to first baseman Swindley Lint with Curacao Goats center fielder Raysheandell Michel advancing to third base as the ball went past him down the first base side in foul territory. Lint tried to get the ball back into the field and threw it past Angela as Michel came in to score the first run of the game for the Goats.
During the bottom of the second inning, the Willemstad Cannons struck the board as Lint launched a two-run home run over the left field wall scoring designated hitter Jonathan Martijn to take the lead at 2-1.
In the top of the third inning, Willemstad Cannons manager Carlos Pineda went to his bullpen to call upon relief pitcher Marlison Brunken to replace Angela. Angela threw two innings allowing one earned run, one hit, two walks, and four strikeouts.
A few batters later, Curacao Goats catcher Ortwin Pieternella lifted a sacrifice fly to right field as second baseman Nayerich Waterfort came into score to tie the game up at 2-2.
Curacao Goats starting pitcher Cody Mincey walked Martijn as the first batter he faced during the bottom of the fourth inning as manager Hainley Statia called upon relief pitcher Clarence Martina to replace Mincey.
Mincey threw three innings allowing two hits, three earned runs, three walks and four strikeouts during the first game of the regular season.
A few batters later, Willemstad Cannons shortstop Ryson Polonius ripped an infield single to shortstop Rog Kaeber and beat out the play at first base as Martijn came into score to go up 3-2.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Willemstad Cannons added more runs to the board as second baseman Raywendley Van Gurp walked with the bases loaded, scoring catcher Ulrich Snjders to extend the lead to two runs at 4-2.
The next batter, Cannons third baseman Juremi Profar lifted a sacrifice fly to center field as Polonius came in to score to make it 5-2.
Cannons relief pitcher Alexander Rodriguez came into the top of the seventh inning attempting to complete the final six outs of the game as he got Waterfort to strikeout looking for the final out of the game to beat the Curacao Goats 5-2 in the first game of the 2023 Curacao Professional League season.
The Cannons pitching staff allowed five hits, five earned runs, nine walks, and six strikeouts during the first game of the regular season on Sunday.
The Curacao Professional Baseball League will only operate from December 3-10. The semifinals of the league will take place on December 9 at Tio Daou Ballpark for the second and third seed. The championship game will take place on December 10 at Tio Daou Ballpark with the one seed taking on the winner of the semifinal game.
Round one will only be for two more days on December 4-5. Round two will be from December 6-8 prior to the start of the semifinals on December 9.
2023 Curacao Professional Baseball League Schedule
All games will be played at Tio Daou Ballpark
All games will start at 6:30 p.m. EST
December 4, 2023
Curacao Goats vs. Curacao Suns
December 5, 2023
Curacao Suns vs. Willemstad Cannons
Round 2
December 6, 2023
Curacao Goats vs. Willemstad Cannons
December 7, 2023
Curacao Suns vs. Curacao Goats
December 8, 2023
Willemstad Cannons vs. Curacao Suns
December 9, 2023
2nd Seed vs. 3rd Seed – Semifinals
December 10, 2023
1st Seed vs. Semifinal Winner – Championship Game
