 Almere forces fourth game in Play-Down
Nederlands
 THE HAGUE (Neth.) -
On Sunday, Almere Magpies won 4-2 vs. ADO to force a fourth game in their best-of-five Play-Down final.
Almere lost on Thursday and Saturday, but now will face ADO in a fourth game that is scheduled to be played Saturday-evening at Almere.
In case Almere also wins that game, the deciding fifth game will then be played on Sunday at The Hague.
The winner of this series remains in the Dutch big league, the loser has to play a best-of-five Promotion/Relegation Play-Off vs. the champion of the First Division.
On Saturday, UVV from Utrecht claimed that title.
Almere opened the score in the first inning off Martijn Riphagen, who walked lead-off hitter Wesley Bernardus, who then advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Daniël Zijderveld, stole third base and scored on a grounder by Giovanni Samboe.
In the second inning, ADO scored twice off Joep de Wit to take a 2-1 lead.
With one out, Remco Seitzinger doubled, then Frans Richardson reached on a bunt-single.
An error on a grounder by Anthony Vrolijk led to the tying run, then Richardson scored the go-ahead run later in the at bat on a wild pitch.
Almere, which was silenced in the second through fourth inning, tied the score in the fifth.
With one out, Ferd van Stekelenburg walked and Sytse Visbeen singled.
With two outs, Van Stekelenburg scored the tying run when Stefan Hoogewerff also singled.
Almere then took a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning.
Daniël Zijderveld led off with a bunt-single, followed by a single off the bat of Giovanni Samboe.
Next, everyone was safe on sac-bunt by Jason Orman, which loaded the bases and led to a pitching change.
Jurrian Koks took over and struckout his first batter, but then a run was scored on a sacrifice fly by Ferd van Stekelenburg.
Almere added another run in the eighth at bat.
Wesley Bernardus led off with a single and stole second base.
He then scored when a throwing error was made on a sacrifice bunt by Daniël Zijderveld to make it 4-2.
After giving up the two runs in the second inning, Almere-starter Joep de Wit gave up three hits in the next four innings.
When he also gave up a lead-off single to Berti Richardson in the seventh inning, De Wit was replaced by lefthander Scott Ronnenbergh.
A force play-grounder followed, then a single by veteran Gino Henson, but a strikeout and flyout then ended the inning.
In the eighth, Ronnenbergh walked two batters with one out, but then two outs followed.
In the ninth, Ronnenbergh retired the side, including two strikeouts, to earn a save.
(September 5)
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