On the world stage

Right-hander Shairon Martis pitches the first no-hitter in the World Baseball Classic 18 years ago today in the Netherlands’ 10-0 victory over Panama at Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

The tournament’s 10-run mercy rule limits the game to seven innings.

That is just fine with Martis, whose final pitch of the game is his 65th – the maximum allowed for starting pitchers in the tournament’s opening round.

Martis’ final pitch produces the game’s final two outs as Panama’s Cesar Quintero hits into a double play grounder.

Not as if Martis overpowers Panama, either, as he strikes out, well, no one.

“I was thinking I had to keep the fastball low to get as many groundballs as possible,” Martis says after the game. “I used fastballs and sliders. I feel very proud of having thrown a no-hitter, and I really don’t have any other words to describe it.”

Since then, the WBC has had only one other no-hitter with that coming last March 13 as Puerto Rico’s Jose DeLeon, Yacksel Rios, Edwin Diaz and Duane Underwood Jr. combine to beat Israel 10-0 in their 2023 WBC game in Miami.

As it stands – at least for now – Martis remains the only one to pitch a complete game no-hitter in the WBC, even if that one is cut short to seven innings 18 years ago today.