(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Judith de Heide)
 Amsterdam Pirates hands Yntema first loss
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
L&D Amsterdam Pirates took an early lead on Saturday (August 6) against Curaçao Neptunus and won 6-2 to win its second game of the 3-game series against the league-leader.
Amsterdam opened the series with a 5-3 win on Thursday-evening.
...Work in progress on the scorebox...
(© Photo: Judith de Heide) |
Some one-and-a-half-hour before the game started, a problem occured in the scorebox, as is was impossible to open the automatic shutter.
Club-personnel worked unsuccessfully on the problem for almost an hour and in the end, it was decided to break open the shutter to remove it.
With that, the official scorers, public address announcer, scoreboard operator and sound-system operator were able to do their jobs during the game after all.
Neptunus narrowed the deficit to 3-2 in the eighth inning, but Amsterdam then added three runs moments later to take more distance.
With the win, Amsterdam Pirates handed Orlando Yntema his first loss of the season.
The righthander was 10-0 before today's game.
The win was the 17th home-victory for Pirates, which therefore will finish the regular season with the best home-record (17-4) in the league.
Amsterdam opened the score with a run in the third inning, then doubled its lead in the next at bat.
A runscoring single by Nick Urbanus lifted the lead to 3-0 in the sixth inning, which led to the departure of Orlando Yntema, who was replaced by Bayron Cornelisse.
Amsterdam-starter Robin Schel held Neptunus hitless in the first five innings.
In those at bats, the lefthander allowed only one batter to reach base.
In the sixth inning, Neptunus got its next baserunner, but Amsterdam then turned an inning-ending double play.
In the top of the eighth, off of new pitcher Pim Walsma, Neptunus scored two runs to narrow the deficit to 3-2.
In the bottom of the eighth, Kevin Kelly was to take over for Cornelisse.
He was announced as new pitcher and already had entered the game, but just after completing his warming-up on the mound, the righthander sustained an injury (exaggerated hamstring), was unable to continue and had to leave the game.
So, another replacement followed and he was relieved by Berry van Driel, who hadn't warm up and gave up two basehits.
After Neptunus turned a double play, Loek van Mil took over for Van Driel, but was greeted with three runscoring basehits that made it 6-2.
(complete recap will be added later)
(August 6)
Standings 2nd half
Standings Overall
Schedule & Starting Pitchers
Team Rosters
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Injury-delay at the beginning of the bottom of the 8th inning after reliever Kevin Kelly (who was announced and had entered as new pitcher for Neptunus) sustains a leg-injury after completing his warming-up; Hereafter, Kelly is relieved by Berry van Driel.