(Story & Photos by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Amsterdam Pirates shuts out German champion
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
L&D Amsterdam Pirates shutout German champion Solingen Alligators 6-0 on a cold afternoon today (Saturday, March 21).
The two teams will meet again on Sunday-afternoon, starting at 1 PM.
The Amsterdam-squad collected 13 basehits, including seven by the last three batters in the batting order, which consisted of 10 batters for this game.
Five of these hits were registered by rookies Steven van Reem and Daan Groenewoud.
Van Reem, who was added from the Rookie League-team, made his debut in the Amsterdam-squad and singled in his first at bat.
He went on to hit 3-for-4, scored a run and batted in the first run.
Groenewoud went 2-for-4 and batted in one run.
The remaining two hits of the 'bottom-3 batters' were hit by Patrick Bok, who was 2-for-3 and he also batted in one run.
Three Amsterdam-pitchers gave up only two basehits.
While the clouds broke somewhat and the sun appeared now and then, its remained a cold day with temperatures of only 7 degrees Celsius (44 Fahrenheit).
The first five innings of the game between Amsterdam and Solingen remained scoreless.
Amsterdam-starter Kevin Heijstek gave up an one-out double to Daniel Sanchez in the first inning, but he was left behind.
After giving up the double, Heijstek retired the next eleven batters in a row.
Pirates was more productive off of lefthander Andre Hughes.
The pitcher of the German National Team gave up five hits and saw Pirates get five runners into scoring positions, but he also didn't gave up runs.
In 2009, Hughes pitched in the Dutch big league for Mr. Cocker HCAW.
...2B Roelie Henrique shows that it was cold...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
In the first inning, Remco Draijer singled and Michael Duursma walked with one out, but were left behind.
In the second inning, Steven van Reem singled with one out, then advanced on a following single by Patrick Bok, but they also stranded.
In the third, Roelie Henrique led off with a single and Michael Duursma singled with one out, but then two groundouts followed.
In the fourth, newcomer Linoy Croes (ex-HCAW), reached on an error with one out, moved on a wild pitch, but also was left behind.
In the fifth, Hughes gave up a lead-off single to Daan Groenewoud, but this time was supported with a double play.
Amsterdam then struck with three runs, all with two outs, in the bottom of the sixth inning off of new pitcher Bosty Bernards.
With one out, Kenny Berkenbosch doubled, then Rashid Gerard walked with two outs.
The bases got loaded when Linoy Croes was hit by a pitch and that brought Steven van Reem into the batter's box.
The rookie suddenly faced a basesloaded-situation in a scoreless game in only his third at bat for the Amsterdam big league-team.
But Van Reem hit the ball through the rightside of the infield for a single to bring in Berkenbosch and give his team an 1-0 lead.
Hereafter, Bok also singled to make it 2-0 and then and error was made on a fly by Groenewoud, which should have end in a simple catch and the third out of the inning.
But now an additional run was scored and the bases remained loaded.
A grounder then ended the inning.
Amsterdam added its fourth run in the seventh inning.
Remco Draijer led off with a single, moved to third base on a double by Michael Duursma and scored on a grounder by Kenny Berkenbosch.
Two more runs were scored in the bottom of the eighth inning off of new pitcher Patrick Klinkenberg.
The righthander, who despite the cold weather played with bare arms, walked lead-off hitter Linoy Croes, then uncorked a wild pitch and gave up the third single to Steven van Reem.
As an outfield-error followed, Croes was able to score and Van Reem ended up on second base.
Next batter Patrick Bok was then hit by a pitch, another wild pitch followed and Daan Groenewoud singled.
The bases got loaded when Roelie Henrique walked.
Hereafter, Solingen was about to make a pitching change (the short stop was about to take over), but it was then decided to end the at bat here with no outs, so the German squad didn't have to use an extra pitcher.
Instead, Pirates took the field for the top of the ninth inning.
For the home team, Kyle Ward walked Sascha Steffens with one out in the fifth, then gave up a single to Patrick Klinkenberg, but followed with a strikeout.
A groundout ended the inning.
In the sixth, Ward retired the side and in the seventh, he walked Steffens with two outs, but he was left behind again.
Daan Hendrix threw the final two innings for Amsterdam and retired all six batters he faced.
The three Pirates-pitchers struckout ten batters combined.
Some raindrops fell in the eighth inning, but a rainshower didn't come, despite some very dark clouds.
(March 21)
Complete Schedule Exhibition Season
| L&D Amsterdam Pirates - Solingen Alligators 6-0 (8½ inn.) |
| R | H | E |
| Solingen Alligators (Germany) | 000 | 000 | 000 | - | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| L&D Amsterdam Pirates | 000 | 003 | 12X | - | 6 | 13 | 0 |
| pitchers Alligators | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Andre Hughes | 5 | 3 | 1 | 6 | - | - |
| Bosty Bernards, L (0-1) | 2 | - | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Patrick Klinkenberg | - (*) | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| (*) - Klinkenberg pitched to 5 batters in the 8th inning; inning not completed |
| pitchers Pirates | inn. | SO | BB | H | R | ER |
| Kevin Heijstek | 4 | 4 | - | 1 | - | - |
| Kyle Ward, W (2-0) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| Daan Hendrix | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - |
Umpires: HP-Henny Jansen, 1B-René Ras, 3B-John Beltman.
Official Scorers-Marco Stoovelaar, Ben Goorts.
Time-2:18 hr. |
|
...Solingen-starter Andre Hughes throw to...
...Michael Duursma; Henny Jansen is the HP Umpire... | 
...Kevin Heijstek started for Amsterdam...
...Here, he pitches to Patrick Klinkenberg... |
...Rookie Steven van Reem went 3-for-4...
...Standing in the back in rightfielder Linoy Croes... | 
...Dark clouds covered the site in the 8th...
...and 9th inning, but luckily, the rain didn't come... |
| (© All Photos: Marco Stoovelaar) |
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