SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — San Francisco Giants minor-leaguer Shairon Martis pitched the first no-hitter in the new tournament in a game stopped after seven innings because of the mercy rule, and the Netherlands defeated Panama 10-0.
Martis ended the game with his 65th pitch — the limit for starting pitchers in the first round — when Cesar Quintero hit into a double-play grounder. Martis walked one — Olmedo Saenz with two outs in the first — and struck out none. The only other runner he allowed was when Adolfo Rivera reached on a fielding error by third baseman Ivanon Coffie leading off the seventh.
A right-hander who turns 19 on March 30, Martis signed with the Giants as a free agent on Feb. 10, 2004. He was 2-1 with a 1.85 ERA in five starts and six relief appearances last season for the Giants' Arizona Rookie League team.
Both teams were eliminated coming in. The Netherlands (1-2) finished third and Panama (0-3) last in Group C, which also included Puerto Rico and Cuba.
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● Puerto Rico 12, Cuba 2: In San Juan, Bernie Williams and Carlos Beltran homered and Puerto Rico routed Cuba in a game that was strictly for pride, with both teams having already secured spots in the second round.
Williams, named the best player in Pool C, hit a two-run homer to right in the second inning before a home crowd of 19,000 fans. Beltran hit a towering three-run homer right over the foul pole in right field, and Cintron added a two-run shot in the fourth.
Cuba walked eight hitters, allowed 10 hits and let the game wrap up early. The mercy rule went into effect and play was called after seven innings.
It's just the second time Cuba has lost a game by the mercy rule. The other was against Taiwan in 1983.
Cuba's first run came in the second when Ariel Borrero scored on a single to center by Osmani Urrutia.
Puerto Rico starter Dickie Gonzalez pitched four innings and gave up two hits and one unearned run for the win.
● Dominican Republic 6, Australia 4: In Kissimmee, Fla., Wily Mo Pena had an RBI single, and Miguel Tejada added a sacrifice fly to help the Dominican Republic win its third straight in the World Baseball Classic.
The star-laden Dominicans (3-0) had already clinched first place in Pool D and a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the second round.
Australia brought the potential tying run to the plate in the ninth inning. But Glenn Williams, who hit .425 in 40 at-bats with the Minnesota Twins last season, popped up against Damaso Marte for the final out.
Luis Polonia pinch-hit for David Ortiz in the fourth inning and finished 2 for 2 with an RBI single for the Dominicans.
