In today's game, DSS faced a quick deficit, as Storks scored five runs in the first three innings.
Storks collected nine basehits, while the DSS-defense committed five errors.
Because of the errors, all eight runs scored by Storks were unearned!
DSS had a surprise starting pitcher.
As this was a must-win game for DSS, it was more or less expected that righthander Juan Carlos Sulbaran was to be the starting pitcher for the Haarlem-squad.
Sulbaran had been the starter of the first game.
He then struckout nine batters, gave up three hits and was the winning pitcher.
However, the former professional pitcher with a lot of experience didn't start.
Instead, lefthander Nick Keur took the mound for DSS.
In the regular season, Keur pitched in only 11 2/3 inning.
The lefthander had his first outing on June 11, starting and throwing one inning against HCAW.
For Keur, this was his first appearance since August 27, 2017 when he played for Hoofddorp Pioniers.
In between, Keur underwent and recovered from Tommy John-surgery.
A week ago, DSS used Alexander Valdez and Tim Halderman as starters.
Today, both DSS and Storks had to do without some players.
DSS-pitcher Scott Prins and catcher Leandro Anasagasti and Storks-pitcher Sem Lauf all are in Busan (South Korea), where they participate in the Under-18 World Cup with the Netherlands Under-18 Team.
DSS also missed pitcher Robyn Clara.
He participated with the French National Team in the Yoshida Challenge in Sénart (France).
Storks opened the score with two unearned runs in the top of the first inning.
Kevin Nieveld led off with a walk, then reached second base safely when pitcher Nick Keur made an error on a force play-grounder (and possible double play-grounder) by Johnny Schmook.
The bases then got loaded when Giovanny Perez also walked.
Hereafter, Nieveld scored the first run on a sacrifice fly by Luuk Visser.
With two outs, the second run was added on a single by Joey Schmook.
In the second inning, another unearned run was scored.
Lead-off hitter Joost van den Bergh reached on an error, moved on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Langenkamp and scored on a single by Kevin Nieveld.
A double play later ended the at bat, but DSS now trailed 3-0.
...Winning pitcher Martin Kram...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
Storks increased its lead to 5-0 in the third inning off of new pitcher Lars Werkman.
Again, the lead-off hitter reached on an error, this time on a grounder by Luuk Visser.
With one out, the bases got loaded when Joey Schmook singled and Jurriaan Dijk was hit by a pitch.
With two outs, Chris Langenkamp singled to bring in Visser and Schmook.
Now trailing 5-0, another pitching change followed, as Head Coach José Baez inserted Juan Carlos Sulbaran.
Baez took over the coaching halfway in June after the club separated with Head Coach Marco Wels.
Sulbaran got an inning-ending flyout.
However, DSS was unable to do something back off of righthander Martin Kram.
Like Keur, he also missed part of the season due to an injury.
Kram did well and didn't encouter that much problems.
In the first inning, Kram gave up an one-out single to Tino van Erk and in the second, Diamond Silberie doubled with two outs.
In both innings, Kram closed with a strikeout.
DSS got two baserunners in the bottom of the third inning.
With one out, Mitchel Dautzenberg reached on an error, then Tino van Erk walked.
But then, a force out and groundout followed.
Juan Carlos Sulbaran held Storks scoreless in the next four innings, giving up only one basehit and allowing only two batters to reach base.
After having retired the side in the fourth, Sulbaran gave up a lead-off single to Sergio Schoop in the fifth, but he was caught stealing.
In the sixth, lead-off hitter Quinland de Windt struckout, but reached on a passed ball.
Moments later, he was eliminated in a double play.
Sulbaran retired the side again in the seventh.
After being retired in order in the fourth and fifth inning, DSS trailed 5-0, but got a chance to do something back in the sixth.
Tino van Erk led off with an infield-hit, then Aldi Guzman singled with one out.
With two outs, the Haarlem-team got the bases loaded when Devano Pieter walked.
With the bases loaded and in a save-situation, veteran righthander Jurrian Koks then took over the pitching and ended the threat by closing with a strikeout (looking).
Storks again avoided giving up runs in the seventh.
With one out, Koen Werkman and Michel Dautzenberg both singled, but a double play ended the at bat.
In the top of the eighth, Storks added another run.
Sergio Schoop led off with a double and was able to advanced to third base on an outfield-error.
With one out, he scored on a single by Jurriaan Dijk.
Hereafter, Sander Helmendach took over the DSS-pitching and closed with two strikeouts.
After Jurrian Koks had retired the DSS-side in the eighth, his teammates added two more runs in the top of the ninth.
Kevin Nieveld led off with a walk, then Johnny Schmook singled.
With one out, a throwing error was made on a force play-grounder by Luuk Visser, which both runners to score, while Visser ended up on third base.
The inning ended when Visser tried to score when Sergio Schoop flied out, but was eliminated in a double play at the plate.
In the bottom of the ninth, Jurrian Koks gave up a lead-off single to Devano Pieter.
Hereafter, three flyouts followed.
That ended the game and earned Koks a save.
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Storks secures big league-spot; Season DSS continues!
HAARLEM (Neth.) -
Silicon Storks shutout DSS 8-0 on Saturday (August 31) to win the best-of-five Play-Downs Final Series, 3-1.
With that, Storks prolonged its stay in the highest league, securing its spot for next year.
Game 4 Play-Downs Final Series.