INTERNATIONAL FINAL

Curacao advances to title game

Curacao's Shendrion Martinus (6) delivers in the second inning of the International Championship baseball game against Japan at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Curacao's Shendrion Martinus (6) delivers in the second inning of the International Championship baseball game against Japan at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- As soon as the ball came off his bat, Curley Martha pointed to the sky -- he knew that one was gone.

Martha hit a two-run home run to center in the fifth inning and got the final 11 outs as a relief pitcher, helping Curacao beat Japan 5-4 Saturday to advance to the Little League World Series title game.

Japan loaded the bases in the sixth but Martha got out of the jam after a wild pitch scored two runs and put the tying run at third base. Ryohei Ushikubo hit a line drive toward the left center field gap, but Keven Rosina made the catch.

"It was a little bit scary," Curacao Manager Michelangelo Celestina said.

Martha and Shendrion Martinus combined to hold a Japan team that scored 32 runs in its first three games to four runs and five hits. Martinus also contributed with his bat, providing a two-run double in the third.

The team from Willemstad fought back from a loss to South Korea last weekend, winning four consecutive games to reach today's final. Curacao will play for its second Little League title.

The Pabao Little League, with current Oakland Athletics infielder Jurickson Profar on its roster, won it in 2004.

Profar's youngest brother, Jurdrick, caught all six innings of Saturday's game and added a double and a pair of runs for Curacao.

Japan has won five Little League championships in this decade.

The Japanese team came from Chofu, with a population of 230,000 -- larger than the entire island of Curacao, which has 162,000 residents.

"It feels like we are on the map again," Celestina said.

Sports on 08/25/2019

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