WILLEMSTAD, MIAMI - The Curaçao Suns remain in contention for the quarterfinals of the Caribbean Series 2024, despite facing two consecutive losses following their victory in the opening match. The team, considered the underdog in the tournament, has demonstrated its ability to compete with the top teams in the Caribbean.
With well-known players boasting experience in American professional baseball, such as Didi Gregorius, Wladimir Balentien, Andrelton Simmons, and Jonathan Schoop, the Curaçao Suns are seen by experts as having the potential to advance far in the tournament.
After an exciting 6-5 victory over the Mexican champions, the Suns succumbed to Panama with a score of 3-7, followed by a defeat against Venezuela with a score of 4-2. Despite these setbacks, the team still has the opportunity to qualify for the quarterfinals in Miami, Florida. The Suns face challenging matches against the teams from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, with the next game against Nicaragua today.
Special attention is directed towards Wladimir ‘Coco’ Balentien, who has delivered an outstanding performance in the tournament so far with a batting average of .625, including two home runs, two scored runs, and two runs batted in during the first two games. Another key player for Curaçao, Roger Bernadina, has also made an impression with a batting average of .571, showcasing his crucial role as the lead-off hitter for the team.
Despite their age of 39 years, both Balentien and Bernadina prove that they can still deliver top-level performances, emphasizing the solidity and experience of the Curaçaoan team.