Pioniers opened the score in the fifth inning.
However, in the previous four at bats, the Hoofddorp-team stranded six runners, five of them in scoring position.
In the first inning, Pioniers had runners on first and second base wit one out, but then HCAW turned a double play.
In the second inning, Mark-Jan Moorman led off with a double and Quintin De Cuba followed with a single.
Next, HCAW made another double play, this time on a line drive by Kevin Dirksen, then a flyout ended the inning.
...Kevin Dirksen...
...3-run homerun...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the third inning, Max Draijer drove the ball into deep leftfield, but there, leftfielder Peter van Doesburg made an incredible over-the-shoulder-catch just in front of the fence, which was the defensive highlight of the evening.
Two singles followed, but again the runners stranded.
In the fourth, Pioniers got two runners with two outs, but they also were left behind.
Then, in the fifth, Pioniers got on the board.
With two outs, Dirk van 't Klooster walked and scored all the way from first base when Vince Rooi followed with a double.
For Pioniers, Ricardo Hernandez Sanchez dominated.
In the first five innings, the lefthander struckout eleven batters.
He struckout the side in the first at bat and finished the first four innings with a strikeout.
In these five innings, he allowed only three batters to reach base.
In the second, he walked a batter with one out and in the third, he gave up a single with two outs, but both runners stranded at first base.
In the fourth, Boyd Tuhumury doubled for HCAW with two outs, but then Hernandez closed with a strikeout.
But in the sixth inning, the Venezuelan hurler gave up the tying run and he had a contribution to that run himself.
He gave up a lead-off single to Jarreau Martina, who then moved on a sacrifice bunt by Peter van Doesburg.
Next, Martina was awarded third base when Hernandez committed a balk.
Moments later, Martina scored the tying run on a single by Emersson Paula.
Shortly thereafter, Paula appeared to be caught stealing, but he was awarded second base when Hernandez balked again.
But this time, the runner stranded, as two pop-flies ended the inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, HCAW had a runner on first base with two outs and then Hernandez closed his fifth inning with a strikeout.
With the score still tied at 1-1, HCAW got into scoring position again in the eighth.
Jarreau Martina (who was 3-for-4) led off with a single and again moved on a sac-bunt by Peter van Doesburg.
Hernandez followed with his 13th strikeout of the evening, but then walked Rossini Frolijk.
That led to a pitching change, as Sedley Karel took over.
The reliever had an 1-2 count on Boyd Tuhumury, who then swung at his fourth pitch, which went in the ground.
But the batter was retired at first base on a throw from the catcher.
And after throwing only four pitches, Karel had now become the pitcher-of-record.
And he went on to become the winning pitcher, as Pioniers scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning!
In the eighth, Mark-Jan Moorman and Quintin De Cuba began with singles, which led to runners on first and third base.
Hereafter, well-pitching starter Sander Helmendach was relieved by Tony Kreisel.
His fourth delivery to Kevin Dirksen was well connected, as it ended over the leftfield-fence for a 3-run homerun that gave Pioniers a 4-1 lead.
In the top of the ninth, closer Bayron Cornelisse took over for Karel, retired the side (two strikeouts) and earned his league-leading fourth save.
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HCAW ends up just short vs. Pioniers
HOOFDDORP (Neth.) -
HCAW played a fine game on Thursday-evening (May 21) at Vaessen Pioniers.
The home team was unable to take more distance after an 1-0 lead, saw HCAW come alongside in the sixth and again left too many runners behind on the bases, as HCAW made some fine defensive plays.
