 Top-4 complete sweeps; Baseball supports Pink Ribbon
Nederlands
    THE HAGUE / AMSTERDAM / ROTTERDAM / UTRECHT (Neth.) -
The current top-4 completed a 3-game sweep on Sunday, beating the bottom-4 squads.
League-leader L&D Amsterdam Pirates led 1-0 when Mr. Cocker HCAW scored five runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by a 3-run homerun by Lennart Koster.
But in the home of the fifth, Amsterdam immediately answered with five runs of their own to take a 6-5 lead.
Amsterdam was outhit 9-5, but hold onto the lead and won 6-5.
Corendon Kinheim shutout ADO 9-0 on eleven hits, including the fifth homerun of the season by Bryan Engelhardt, who now shares the league-lead with Percy Isenia (Amsterdam).
After winning big on Saturday, DOOR Neptunus scored only two runs on Sunday, but that was enough to win 2-0 vs. Sparta-Feyenoord on six basehits.
In a long (3 1/2 hour) game at Utrecht, Vaessen Pioniers held a quick 4-1 lead in the second inning, but failed to take more distance and won 8-4.
Also on Sunday, which was Mother's Day, players in the Dutch big league batted with pink bats and wore pink sweatbands to support Pink Ribbon in the fight against breast cancer.
The used pink bats will be auctioned with the results being announced during the All Star Game on June 19 in Utrecht.
ADO vs. Corendon Kinheim
At The Hague, Corendon Kinheim shutout ADO 9-0 to complete a 3-game series sweep.
With the win, Kinheim also completes a 6-game season series sweep against ADO.
The Haarlem-squad also finished Game 3 of the previous series, only three weeks ago, with a 9-0 shutout.
Kinheim opened the score with two runs in the third inning off starter Jurandy Girigori.
Björn Henrichs and Remco Draijer led off singles, then advanced on a sac-bunt by René Cremer.
Draijer was then eliminated on third base on a grounder to short by Dirk van 't Klooster, but Henrichs scored the first run.
Next, Van 't Klooster scored when Bryan Engelhardt followed with a double.
Two runs were added in the fourth inning, when the ADO-defense committed three errors.
Rodney Michel singled with one out and Roy Seltenrijch reached on an error, then a failed pick off by the catcher and a dropped fly ball in the outfield led to the two runs and a 4-0 lead for Kinheim.
In the fifth inning, Jason Halman doubled with two outs and scored when another error was made after Rafaël Jozefa reached on an infield-hit.
Another error (ADO made six in this game) led to two more runs in the sixth inning.
With one out, Remco Draijer was on first base when René Cremer drove the ball into leftfield for a single, but there leftfielder Irving Redan missed the ball, which rolled all the way to the fence, enabling both Draijer and Cremer to score.
In the seventh inning, Kevin Nieveld took over the pitching and threw two scoreless innings, but then gave up two runs in the ninth.
René Cremer led off with a single and scored when Bryan Engelhardt (with one out) hit his fifth homerun of the season to lift the lead to 9-0.
ADO was close to a run in its first at bat off Nick Veltkamp.
The lefthander walked lead-off hitter Gyenuar Lopez, then gave up an one-out single to Jaïr Roseburg, but followed with two strikeouts.
In the third, Lopez doubled with one out, but stranded again.
In the fifth, he singled with two outs, but also was left and in the ninth, Lopez (who was 3-for-4) was left behind for the fourth time in this game.
In the eighth inning, off new pitcher Patrick Beljaards, ADO got the bases loaded with two outs.
With one out, Beljaards hit Jaïr Roseburg with a pitch, then Harvey Gumbs singled.
With two outs, Kevin Nieveld walked, but then a grounder ended the at bat.
Line Score, Box Score & Play-by-Play
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...Vince Rooi wears pink sweatbands and hits...
...with a pink bat to support Pink Ribbon...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
L&D Amsterdam Pirates vs. Mr. Cocker HCAW
At Amsterdam, L&D Amsterdam Pirates took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but then Mr. Cocker HCAW rallied for five runs in the fifth inning, only to see the home team answer with five runs of its own to win 6-5.
In the first inning, with one out, Vince Rooi was walked by Venezuelan Moises Levi Melendez Izaguirre, who then gave up a single to Sidney de Jong.
After Percy Isenia struckout, Bas de Jong singled to bring in Rooi, but a strikeout for Bas Nooij then ended the at bat.
In the next three innings, Melendez retired nine of the ten batters he faced, before running into problems in the fifth.
Amsterdam-starter Ben Grover walked three batters in the first three innings, then gave up his first hit in the fourth when Juan Miguel Gonzalez doubled with two outs, but he stranded on third base.
In the fifth inning, HCAW rallied for five runs to take a 5-1 lead.
With one out, Grover walked Adrian Anthony, who then scored when Mitchel Koot followed with a double.
Wesley Bernardus then singled, but was forced out on a grounder by Michael Pluijmers, but in the meantime, Koot scored the go-ahead run.
Next, Dirimo Enrique Chavez singled and Lennart Koster homered to make it 5-1.
When Gonzalez followed with a single, Grover was relieved by Frank van Heijst, who gave up a single to Randy Daal, but then ended the inning with a flyout.
In the home of the fifth, Amsterdam reacted immediately, scored five runs with two outs and re-took the lead.
With one out, Moises Melendez walked Rashid Gerard, then Roelie Henrique reached on an error.
The bases got loaded when Vince Rooi also walked.
Gerard and Henrique then scored when Sidney de Jong followed with a double.
Next, Rooi was eliminated in a rundown on a comeback-grounder to the pitcher by Percy Isenia, but hereafter the bases got loaded when Bas de Jong walked.
Melendez then issued his fourth walk in this inning, this time to Bas Nooij, which made it a 5-4 score.
Moments later, Amsterdam re-took the lead when Isenia and De Jong both scored on a single by Seb Visser.
In the remainder of the game, HCAW got only two batters on base, while four relievers struckout four batters.
Jurrian Koks threw the ninth inning and earned his second save of the season, while Frank van Heijst was credited with his first win of the season.
 
...Left: HCAW-starter Moises Melendez...
...Right: Amsterdam's Head Coach Charles Urbanus argues with Home Plate Umpire Winfried Berkvens...
(© Photos: Henk Seppen) |
Amsterdam also didn't score more runs in the game, but the damage had been done and the home team held onto the lead to complete a 3-game sweep vs. HCAW and also a season 6-game series against the Bussum-club, which is still in last place.
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DOOR Neptunus vs. Sparta-Feyenoord
At Rotterdam, DOOR Neptunus scored only two runs one day after having scored 20 vs. Sparta-Feyenoord, but that was enough for a 2-0 shutout-win.
With this, Neptunus also completed a 3-game sweep and also a 6-game season series vs. their fellow Rotterdam-squad.
Neptunus scored its first run in the first inning.
Eugène Kingsale led off with a single off starter Bobby Carrington, who went the distance for Sparta-Feyenoord.
With two outs, Kingsale advanced when Jeffrey Arends walked, then scored on a single by Dwayne Kemp, but two runners were left behind when Carrington struckout next batter Rien Vernooij.
In the second inning, Sparta-Feyenoord was one base away from tying the score.
Jourick Blanco led off with a double and moved on a following grounder by Ramiro Balentina.
With two outs, Quintin De Cuba walked, but then the third out followed, leaving Blanco at third base.
Neptunus failed to take more distance in the third at bat when it got the bases loaded.
Kingsale led off with a walk and after Benjamin Dille flied out, Raily Legito singled.
Kingsale and Legito then moved on a grounder by Jeffrey Arends and it was then decided to walk Dwayne Kemp intentionally to set up a force play.
That didn't happen, as Carrington ended the inning himself by striking out Vernooij again, leaving the bases loaded.
After walking De Cuba in the second inning, Craig Anderson, the Australian starter for Neptunus, retired 12 of the next 13 batters he faced, before getting the bases loaded in the sixth.
With two outs, the lefthander gave up a single to Brian Biezen, then walked Jourick Blanco and Ramiro Balentina, but the scoring opportunity ended when Rensver Jansen flied out.
In the seventh inning, leading only 1-0, Neptunus relieved Anderson and brought three relievers to the mound, who gave up only one more basehit combined.
After leaving the bases loaded in the third inning, Neptunus was silenced by Carrington in the next four innings, as he retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced in that period.
In the eighth, Neptunus finally was able to add an insurance run.
Benjamin Dille led off with a single, who then advanced on a grounder by Raily Legito and a single by Jeffrey Arends.
Next, Dwayne Kemp followed with his second RBI-single in the game to bring in Dille.
Kemp was then forced out on a grounder by Rien Vernooij and the inning ended when Arends was off third base when Carrington attempted to pick off Vernooij from first base, resulting in Arends being eliminated 1-3-2-5.
In the ninth inning, Arshwin Asjes closed the game for Neptunus and struckout the last two batters he faced to earn a save.
Line Score, Box Score & Play-by-Play
Standings & Schedule
...Jefferson Muzo, Skip Visser & Zerzinho Croes (Pioniers)...
...show their pink bats to support Pink Ribbon...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
UVV vs. Vaessen Pioniers
At Utrecht, Vaessen Pioniers struck early with four runs in the first two innings, but failed to take more distance vs. UVV, which at one point narrowed the deficit to 5-4, but was left empty-handed and lost 8-4.
Before the start of the game, Head Coaches Royce Holder (UVV) and Robert Klaver (Pioniers) activated the on-line voting procedure for the upcoming All Star Game, which will be played at the site of UVV on June 19.
Pioniers set the tone by scoring three runs in the first at bat off UVV-starter Martijn Riphagen.
The lefthander walked lead-off hitters Michael Duursma and Mervin Gario, then gave up an RBI-double to Norbert Lokhorst (who is the league's leading hitter again after today).
The next run was then scored on a sac-fly by Nik Gumeson.
Hereafter, Riphagen issued his third walk, this time for Dè Flanegin, which was followed by an RBI-double by Kevin Dirksen that made it 3-0.
But then two runners stranded in scoring position when a pop-fly and groundout followed.
UVV got one run back in its first at bat.
Lars Huijer, the starter for Pioniers, gave up a lead-off single to Jeff Delfina, who then stole second base, advanced on a grounder by Jirka Bliek and scored on a grounder by Rutger Veugelers.
 
...Left: Dè Flanegin (Pioniers) also wore a pink cap...
...Right: Norbert Jongerius (UVV) had a pink glove...
(© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
But in the second inning, Pioniers added another run.
Jefferson Muzo led off with a double and moved on a single by Michael Duursma.
This led to a pitching change, as Timo van Ancum took over for Riphagen.
He the gave up a sac-fly to Mervin Gario that made it 4-1.
In the third inning, Van Ancum was supported with a double play, but then gave up another run in the fourth inning.
Zerzinho Croes led off with a single and went on to score on a grounder by Michael Duursma, but then Pioniers left two runners.
The Hoofddorp-squad also left two runners in scoring position in the fifth inning, failing to take more distance.
After giving up the lead-off single to Delfina in the first inning, Lars Huijer retired 13 of the next 14 batters, then gave up an one-out single to Glenn Romney in the fifth.
With two outs, Romney advanced when an error was made on a grounder by Quincy Cairo, then scored when another error followed an infield-hit by Jeff Delfina.
After Pioniers was retired in order by new pitcher Juri van Leeuwen in the sixth inning, UVV scored twice to come back to 5-4.
Huijer gave up a lead-off single to Rutger Veugelers, who then moved on a sac-bunt by Danny Rombley.
With two outs, Veugelers scored on a single by Giovanni Samboe.
A wild pitch and a single by Glenn Romney brought Samboe to third base and also brough in new pitcher Shane Gnade.
He was greeted with an RBI-single by Shurty Tremus, but then two runners were left behind when Quincy Cairo flied out.
...17-year old Lars Huijer delivers to...
...50-year old Fausto Álvarez Rizo...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In the seventh inning, Van Leeuwen returned to the mound for UVV.
But after retired the side in order in the previous at bat, he now ran into problems quickly and gave up two runs, which increased the lead to 7-4.
Nik Gumeson and Dè Flanegin started with singles, then the latter was forced out on a grounder by Kevin Dirksen, but that enabled Gumeson to score.
Hereafter, rookies Skip Visser and Zerzinho Croes both singled, which led to a run.
Van Leeuwen was then replaced by Sedley Karel, who got out of the inning quickly, as Jefferson Muzo grounded into a double play on his first delivery.
...Today, baseball supported...
...Pink Ribbon...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In the eighth inning, Pioniers got the bases loaded.
With two outs, Karel walked Norbert Lokhorst and was replaced by Derek Tarapacki, but the American then also walked Nik Gumeson and Dè Flanegin.
Tarapacki avoided giving up runs, as a groundout ended the at bat.
In the home of the eighth inning, there was a discussion between UVV-batter Danny Rombley and Home Plate Umpire Stenar van Groningen Schinkel, who also got into an argument with UVV's Head Coach Royce Holder, after he had not granted a time-out to Rombley.
Moments later, Rombley singled, but when he reached first base and turned around, he said something and was ejected by Van Groningen Schinkel.
Rombley, who never has been ejected in his career, reacted furiously and afterwards stated he never said anything negatively towards the umpire.
Van Groningen Schinkel ejected Rombley for 'provocative behavior'.
Rombley was replaced by pinch-runner Norbert Jongerius, while Jean-Paul Gulinck took over for Gnade.
Jongerius was eliminated when Fausto Álvarez Rizo grounded into a double play.
In the ninth inning, Pioniers added a run when Jefferson Muzo scored with two outs on a double by Michael Duursma.
Gulinck completed the game, didn't encounter any problem and earned a save.
Line Score, Box Score & Play-by-Play
Standings & Schedule
 
...Left: Robert Klaver (Head Coach Pioniers), Fred Groenewegen (3B Umpire), Stenar van Groningen Schinkel...
...(HP Umpire), Johan Brandsma (1B Umpire) and Royce Holder (Head Coach UVV) show their pink sweatbands...
...Right: Announcer Aad de Vos wore a pink cap for today's Pink Ribbon-action...
(© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
 
...Left: Michael Duursma is tagged out by 1B Glenn Romney...
...Right: Pink rozes for the women in attendance...
(© Photo Left: Frans van Elst; © Photo Right: Marco Stoovelaar) |
 
...Left: UVV's Head Coach Royce Holder argues with HP Umpire Stenar van Groningen Schinkel...
...after the latter didn't grant a time-out to Danny Rombley in the 8th inning...
...Right: Danny Rombley reacts after being ejected by the HP Umpire moments later...
(© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
 
...Left: Winning pitcher Lars Huijer - Right: Jean-Paul Gulinck, who earned a save...
(© Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
(May 8)
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