Jaymiëll Martina Dominates with 12 Strikeouts as Curaçao Blanks Japan 4-0
Jaymiëll Martina delivered a masterclass on the mound, striking out 12 batters and driving in an RBI double to lead Curaçao to a 4-0 victory over Japan on Saturday. The win at Lamade Stadium propelled the Caribbean powerhouse into the Little League Baseball World Series championship game for the sixth time in history, setting up a clash against Nevada.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Pitching Workload Peak: Martina exhausted his pitch count, reaching 86 pitches and finishing with 5 2/3 stellar scoreless innings, meaning he will be completely unavailable on the mound for the upcoming championship fixture.
- Tournament Futures: Curaçao’s dominant 23-3 run differential across four games in Williamsport positions them as a formidable side against the U.S. champion.
Navigating Early Trouble and Dialing in the Offense
It wasn’t easy right out of the gate at Lamade Stadium. Japan came out swinging with high intent, eager to erase the memory of a previous 6-0 loss to Curaçao earlier in the double-elimination bracket. Japanese hitters laced a pair of hard-hit singles into the outfield on their first two at-bats, quickly loading the bases with just one out.
That sequence forced a mound visit from Curaçao manager Railison Gijsbertha. Rather than pulling his starter, the coaching staff trusted their ace. Martina responded by striking out the next two batters, pumping his right fist as he stranded all three runners. “I started listening to the coach. I was throwing different balls, and then I started listening, and then I threw good,” Martina noted after the game, according to The Associated Press.
Once Martina escaped that early jam, the game completely shifted. The right-hander mixed his fastballs and curveballs effectively, keeping Japanese hitters off balance. Japanese manager Masanori Takeda acknowledged the difficulty of solving the Curaçao ace, stating, “He’s a very good pitcher. He has a good fastball and curveball and (slider), we can’t say more,” as reported by Yahoo Sports.
Capitalizing on Small Ball and Defensive Miscues
While Martina handcuffed the Japanese lineup—allowing just two hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings—the Curaçao offense applied pressure using textbook small-ball tactics. In the bottom of the third inning, a barrage of well-placed bunts combined with four Japanese throwing errors cracked the scoreboard open, yielding a 3-0 advantage.
“Because the score was (low), and we knew Japan is a difficult team, when they couldn’t make outs out of the bunts, we kept bunting,” Gijsbertha explained regarding the strategic shift.
Curaçao added insurance in the fourth frame. Martina helped his own cause by launching a double to left-center field, plating Giendry Ryan to extend the lead to 4-0. With a commanding cushion, Martina continued mowing down hitters until reaching his pitch limit with two outs in the sixth. He departed to a standing ovation from the nearly 22,000 fans in attendance—including respectful applause from Japanese supporters stationed along the third-base line.
Road to the Championship Game
| Team | Tournament Record | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curaçao (Willemstad) | 4-0 | 23 | 3 |
| Japan | Post-Elimination | – | – |
The victory marks the third time in five years that a team from Willemstad, Curaçao, will battle a U.S. representative for Little League supremacy at Lamade Stadium. Giendry Ryan stepped in to secure the final out, sealing the shutout after he and Martina combined for a no-hitter against Japan in a second-round game earlier in the double-elimination tournament.
Manager Railison Gijsbertha reflected on the program’s rich history and cultural significance following the win. “It’s very great for the people of Curaçao and for the boys here too,” Gijsbertha said. “We came here and knew that there’s a history of Curaçao baseball and there is a history between Japan and Curaçao, so we’re very happy with what we’ve accomplished, and we’ll go for the game tomorrow.”
Curaçao now advances to face Nevada—which secured its spot by defeating Ohio in the U.S. championship—with a chance to etch another chapter into the island’s proud baseball legacy.
