(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
 Kinheim wins in Bergman's final regular season-game
Nederlands
 HAARLEM (Neth.) -
Kinheim won 7-4 against De Glaskoning Twins on Sunday (August 7) after having failed to hold onto a lead the day before.
By scoring five runs in the first five innings, Kinheim supported starting pitcher David Bergman with a big enough lead to end up being the winning pitcher in what was his final regular season-start of his big league-career.
Bergman, who turns 35 next week, announced earlier he will retire at the end of this season.
Today, the righthander made his last regular season-start and threw five complete innings.
In those innings, he gave up only three basehits and struckout four batters.
He got the bases loaded in the top of the second inning, but avoided giving up runs.
Bergman retired the side in both the fourth and fifth inning.
In the meantime, Kinheim scored five runs, including two on a homerun by Dudley Leonora in the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Bergman gave up the first run to Twins on a grounder, which resulted in the second out of the at bat.
Bergman then was replaced and the game was stopped to honor the righthander, who hugged his teammates on the field en route to the dug-out.
Bergman was handed a framed shirt by club-officials.
The pitcher also embraced the three assigned umpires, who were specially assigned to today's game at the request of the retiring pitcher, as were the two official scorers.
While leaving the mound, Bergman got a standing ovation from the spectators and also was applauded to by the players of Twins.
David Bergman made his big league-debut in 1999, pitching in one game for Hoofddorp Pioniers.
He went on to pitch in 17 more seasons in the highest league.
He pitched for Kinheim since 2006.
In his long career, Bergman went on to win the Dutch championship-title with Kinheim three times.
He was nominated six times for Best Pitcher and one once.
With the Netherlands National Team (he played twelve years in the Dutch squad), Bergman participated in all three World Baseball Classics (2006, 2009, 2013) and captured four titles at European Championships.
In 2011, Bergman was the closer against Cuba in the final of the World Championship in Panama in 2011.
The Orange squad hold onto the lead then to capture the championship-title.
Hereafter, all players were named Honorary Member of the Dutch Association and also received a Royal Decoration.
Bergman also was used in relief in last Thursday-evening's opener of the 3-game series, due to injuries.
Venezuelan righthander Luis Figuera Roman was scheduled to start that game, but was scratched due to an injury.
Reliever Nick Veltkamp started instead and made his first start of the season.
As righthanders Tom Stuifbergen and Glenn Wassink also were sidelined with injuries, Bergman pitched one inning in relief.
While today was Bergman's final regular season-appearance, he will return to the mound for Kinheim during the upcoming Play-Offs.
In today's game, Kinheim collected 15 basehits, including three by Dudley Leonora, Sander Paap and Jochem Koedijk.
Stijn Janssens had three of the eight basehits Twins registered.
Three of today's game officials were involved in the long four hours, three minutes game between DSS and HCAW on Saturday, being 1B Umpire Olav Steijger and Official Scorers Linda Steijger and Marco Stoovelaar.
Saturday's game became official after two hours and 42 minutes.
Today's game was much quicker and already was an official once after only 55 minutes!
The game was completed after only two hours and seven minutes.
(complete recap will be added later)
(August 7)
Final Standings 2nd half
Final Overall Standings
Schedule & Starting Pitchers
Team Rosters
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5-minute on-field delay in top of the 6th inning due to honoring pitcher David Bergman (Kinheim) after being replaced.