Heavy rain, accompanied by possible severe thunder and strong winds, was predicted throughout the day.
According to several weather predictions, the rain could arrive as early as 8 PM in the Rotterdam-area, which would be 30 minutes after the game had started.
However, that didn't happen.
At least not on that time.
The game started under fair and sunny weather conditions.
But just after 9 PM, it started to rain.
Some 20 minutes later, just after Kinheim had tied the score and Neptunus was in a pitching change, the predicted thunderstorm arrived in full force.
The game was interrupted, but it became clear soon that it was impossible to resume, as the heavy rain blanked not only the playing field, but also the area surrounding the stadium.
Closeby the stadium in Rotterdam, highways and the Kleinpolderplein Interchange had to be closed due to water inconvenience.
It was reported that some 14,000 flashes of lightning were recorded tonight throughout the country.
OK, back to the game.
Righthander Tom Stuifbergen was named as starting pitcher for tonight, but in the afternoon, it was announced that righthander Glenn Wassink was to start instead.
However, when the starting line-up was written down about 40 minutes before game-time, Stuifbergen started the game after all.
The switch was initially made to save Stuifbergen in case the game was cancelled early and had to be replayed the next day, meaning it would loose its starting pitcher.
But when it became clear that the rain would strike later, Stuifbergen returned to the line-up.
Stuifbergen gave up a run in the first inning, which appeared to be the lone run in the game for a long time.
Neptunus was unable to take more distance, but its starter Orlando Yntema held Kinheim to only one basehit, before giving up the tying run in the top of the eighth inning.
In the top of the first inning, Bryan Engelhardt singled for Kinheim with two outs, but was left behind.
In the bottom of the first inning, Neptunus was more successful.
Dwayne Kemp and Benjamin Dille led off with singles, then Raily Legito followed with a runscoring double to give Neptunus an 1-0 lead.
But that was to be all for the home team.
With runners on second and third base, Gianison Boekhoudt grounded back to Stuifbergen, who then eliminated Dille at the plate.
Two grounders ended the at bat, meaning two runners were left behind.
In the second inning, Shaldimar Daantji singled with one out, then two force outs followed.
In the fourth at bat, Neptunus stranded another runner.
Christian Diaz, the best hitter of the regular season, led off with a double.
A grounder followed, then Stuifbergen struckout the next two batters.
The righthander retired the side in the fifth and sixth inning.
In the seventh inning, Pim Walsma took over for Stuifbergen and also retired the side.
After giving up the single to Engelhardt with two outs in the first inning, Neptunus-starter Orlando Yntema dominated and retired 18 batters in a row!
Three of those batters struckout, including Engelhardt, who was ejected in the top of the fourth inning by Home Plate Umpire Stenar van Groningen Schinkel for arguing after a called strikeout.
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Yntema walked Phil Ortez, but he was then forced out.
In the top of the eighth inning, with one out, Yntema walked Dudley Leonora.
He advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Jasper Keijzer, then scored the tying run on a following single by Jochem Koedijk.
That led to a pitching change, as Loek van Mil took over for Yntema.
However, during this break, heavy rain started to fall and the game was delayed.
Moments later, it was stopped definitively.
The game resumes at 1 PM on Saturday, August 15, before the start of the regular scheduled second game between the two teams in Rotterdam.
However, when the game resumes, Van Mil will not return to the mound, as he will not be with the team anymore for the remainder of the season.
The tall righthander will fly to the USA on Friday, as he recently signed a minor league-contract with the Minnesota Twins, meaning he will return to professional baseball.
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Thunderous Play-Off start in Rotterdam
ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
The Play-Offs began with a lot of rain and thunder on Thursday-evening (August 13), resulting in both games to be halted with a tie score.
Both games will resume at 1 PM before the start of the regular scheduled game on Saturday.
The two teams that finished the regular season in first and second place failed to hold onto a minimal lead, as they enabled their opponents to come alongside side.