Municipal de Tijuana’s exciting run to — and through — the Minor League World Series came to an end Thursday on little more than a technicality.
A miss here. A wrong decision there. A dozen pitches just off the plate. And finally, a final strike on the inside corner.
Curaçao scored three runs on three straight walks in the top of the sixth and final inning and held off Tijuana’s comeback in the bottom half, winning 4-2 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Curaçao advances to the international championship match for the second consecutive season, where it will face off against Chinese Taipei.
Mexico’s Jorge Rubio hits an RBI single off Curacao’s Juan Cleto Ferreras during the third inning.
(Tom E. Puskar / Associated Press)
The teams were tied 1-1 with two outs in the top of the sixth when a series of unfortunate events began to sink Tijuana’s playoff run.
Tijuana pitcher Jonathan Juárez intentionally walked Curaçao star Jay-Dlynn Wiel with a runner on second base, putting him over the Minor League pitching limit. Jamil Mandujano replaced the lefty on the mound and got Nassir El-Ossais to hit on what looked like a tag play at second. But Wiel avoided the bunt, forcing the Tijuana second baseman to throw wildly to first base. El-Ossais was ejected at first only to have the decision reversed by the umpires after viewing a video replay.
With the bases loaded, Mandujano threw two consecutive balls to Curaçao’s Joshua Acosta Fernández before being replaced by reliever Jorge Cota. Cota walked Fernández and then two more batters, giving Curaçao a 4-1 lead without the Caribbean nation putting a single ball in play.
Trailing by three runs going into their final turn, Tijuana loaded the bases. Jorge Lizarraga scored a run with a hit to second base, making it 4-2. Juárez came to the plate with runners on second and third and two out. The lefty worked up a 3-1 count before hitting and missing Shemar Jacobus’ fastball, bringing the count to the maximum. Next, he took a pitch to the inside corner for strike three.
Curaçao catcher Yaedon Lourens Martie celebrates his team’s victory against Mexico, as Mexico’s Jonathan Juárez walks off the field.
(Tom E. Puskar / Associated Press)
It was the tear-jerking end to an exciting summer for the Tijuana 12-year-olds, who arrived in Williamsport after going 7-1 at regionals and then made it past the knockout stage to reach the international semifinals. Wednesday’s victory over Japan, a team that had defeated Tijuana earlier in the tournament, set up a showdown with international powerhouse Curaçao.
2023-08-25 09:42:14
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