July 11, 2006 – Timothy Brewer threw a complete game to lead the V.I. Big League All-Star team from St. Thomas over Curacao 7-6. The Virgin Islands improves its record to 2-0 in the Latin American Region of the Big League World Series.
The game featured pitching: the Virgin Islands' Brewer, who struck out five; and Farleyson Martina from Curacao, who notched eight Ks. There were three major league scouts — from the Pittsburg Pirates, New York Mets and Kansas City Royals — in attendance. Brewer and Martina both topped out the radar guns in the mid-80s.
The Virgin Islands jumped out in front with three runs in the top of the first inning and never relinquished the lead.
Kahmari Leonard led off the game with a walk and quickly stole second to start the V.I. offensive onslaught. Causton Merchant Jr. then drove him home with a single to center field. Kellen St. Luce lined a single to right-center that allowed Merchant to advance to third. Merchant later scored on a passed ball charged to Curacao catcher Quintin deCuba. St. Luce later scored on an infield base hit by Dion Pickering.
The Virgin Islands led 4-1 in the second inning, but Curacao later scored two runs to close the margin to 4-3.
Both teams scored a single run in the fourth inning. Then the Virgin Islands scored two runs with two outs in the top of the fifth when Dufferin Culpepper stroked a single just past the reach of Curacao shortstop Raywendley VanGurp to make the score 7-4.
In the sixth inning Curacao inched closer when Sherrintley DaCosta hit a one ball-two strike pitch up the middle that scored the final two runs of the ball game.
On Monday, the V.I. Big League team was victorious over Nicaragua 3-2.
Timothy Brewer hit a solo homerun over the right-center field fence to put the V.I. on the scoreboard 1-0. Brewer later hit a one-out triple off the left-center field fence and came in to score the V.I.'s second run in the top of the fourth inning.
The V.I. allowed no earned runs; However, they surrendered a 2-0 lead over Nicaragua by allowing unearned runs in the fifth and sixth innings. In the top of the seventh, the V.I. regained the lead when Al Delugo hit a double down the right field line that drove home Dufferin Culpepper from second. In the bottom of the inning, Nicaragua's first batter reached when he was hit by a pitch from Kellen St. Luce.
St. Luce then got the first out on a fielder's choice back to the mound, getting the lead runner at second. The next batter hit a soft line drive off of the first pitch he saw from St. Luce. The V.I. left fielder, John Meyers Jr., dove and caught the ball and was able the double up the runner off of first for the final two outs of the game.
The Virgin Islands next play host team Guatemala at 8 p.m. (V.I. time) Wednesday and Panama at 1p.m. Thursday. If the Virgin Islands wins either one of those games, they will advance to the semifinals.
R-H-E
Virgin Islands 7- 8-1
Curacao 6- 7-4
Winning Pitcher: Timothy Brewer
Losing Pitcher: Farleyson Martina
Top Hitters: VI: Causton Merchant Jr. 2-3; Kellen St. Luce and Dion Pickering 2-4; Cur: Sundrendy Windster, Sherrintley DaCosta and Raywendley VanGurp 2-3
HRs: Cur: Windster 2-run HR.
