Neptunus encountered not much problems today en route to its third win of the season.
In its opening-series, the Rotterdam-team gave up only one run in three games, while scoring 18 themselves.
It was DSS/Kinheim that first came into scoring-position.
With one out in the top of the first inning, Julian Toppen reached on an error, then advanced on a grounder by Sem Kuijper.
But the inning ended when starter Kevin Kelly struckout former Neptunian Urving Kemp.
Neptunus also immediately got into scoring position in its first at bat off of starter Donny Breek.
Last season, he played for Amsterdam Pirates and with that, he then was a teammate of current Neptunus-pitchers Tom de Blok and Shairon Martis.
Breek walked lead-off hitter Stijn van der Meer.
The righthander then struckout former Major Leaguer Roger Bernadina, but at the same time, Van der Meer stole second base.
With two outs, he advanced to third base on an infield-hit by Dwayne Kemp, but the two were left behind.
But after DSS/Kinheim was retired in the top of the second, Neptunus scored three runs in its second at bat on only one basehit.
Five of the first six batters reached base on free passes.
First, lead-off hitter Christian Diaz was hit by a pitch by Donny Breek.
He was then caught stealing, but thereafter, Breek got the bases loaded.
The righthander first walked Sheadion Jamanika and with two outs, he also walked Rayshelon Carolina and Stijn van der Meer.
A following walk (his fifth) for Roger Bernadina then led to the first run, as well as a pitching-change.
Lefthander Bas Timmer took over, but he was greeted with a 2-run single from John Polonius.
A force play ended the at bat, but Neptunus had taken an early 3-0 lead.
With one out in the top of the third inning, rookie Amarensio Franka singled for DSS/Kinheim.
Last season, Franka mostly played for Tridents, the second team of Neptunus.
He appeared in seven games in the main-team of Neptunus to keep his rookie-status for this season.
The inning ended when Nick Hofer grounded into a double play.
Franka's basehit would remain the only one off of Kevin Kelly in the seven innings he pitched.
Neptunus failed to take more distance in the bottom of the third inning, as it left three runners behind.
Lead-off hitter Arthur Bonevacia was hit by a pitch, then Christian Diaz walked.
The two moved on a flyout and with two outs, Rayshelon Carolina walked, but they all were left behind.
DSS/Kinheim also stranded a runner on third base in the top of the fourth.
With two outs, Urving Kemp reached second base on an error and moved to third on a wild pitch, but a strikeout then ended the at bat.
Ben Neijndorff became DSS/Kinheim's third pitcher in the fourth inning.
He walked Roger Bernadina and gave up a single to John Polonius, but then was supported with a double play, followed by line out that was caught by second baseman Matis Crouwel.
Neptunus then added its fourth run in the bottom of the fifth.
After Christian Diaz led off with a single, Rick Timmermans was inserted as new pitcher.
He gave up an infield-hit to Sheadion Jamanika, then saw the runners advance on a sacrifice bunt by Enrique Hatma.
With first base open, next batter Rayshelon Carolina was walked intentionally to set up a force play.
Instead, a run was scored on a sacrifice fly by Stijn van der Meer.
The home-team scored another run in the sixth.
With one out, Dwayne Kemp singled and another pitching-change followed.
Rick Rizvić took over, but he was greeted with a double by Arthur Bonevacia.
Kemp scored, but Bonevacia was eliminiated when he tried to stretch his hit into a triple.
In the top of the seventh, DSS/Kinheim was retired in order in its third straight at bat by Kevin Kelly, who now had retired the last ten batters he faced.
He was then relieved in the top of the eighth by Aaron de Groot, who gave up a lead-off infield-hit to Mees Robberse.
He stole second base, but De Groot struckout the next three batters.
In the bottom of the eighth, John Polonius and Dwayne Kemp opened the at bat with their third basehit in the game.
These were hit off of Mathijs Oosterbeek, DSS/Kinheim's sixth pitcher, who had entered in the previous inning.
Oosterbeek was then supported with a double play and a grounder ended the inning.
DSS/Kinheim got one more scoring opportunity in the top of the ninth off of veteran Diegomar Markwell, who made his second appearance.
The Pitching Coach of Neptunus also closed Saturday's game.
He then retired the side, but today, the lefthander got two runners in scoring position.
With one out, Julian Toppen singled, then an error was made on a force play-grounder by Sem Kuijper.
With two outs, the two runners advanced on a wild pitch.
But they stranded, as a grounder ended the game.
| 
Neptunus shuts out DSS/Kinheim to complete opening-sweep
ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus shutout DSS/Kinheim 5-0 on Sunday (April 9) to complete a 3-game sweep in the Opening Series of the 2023 season.
In the opener on Friday, Neptunus was kept scoreless and hitless in the first five innings, but won 7-0.
On Saturday, the team took an early 3-0 lead en route to a 6-1 victory.
Today, Neptunus scored three runs in the second at bat.
The team collected ten basehits, including three by both Dwayne Kemp and John Polonius.
For Kemp, this is the second 3-hit game in a row.
DSS/Kinheim, which inserted six pitchers today, recorded only three basehits.
The team got only one basehit in its first seven innings off starter Kevin Kelly.
Opening Weekend 2023 Season.