Pirati dei Rimini vs. L&D Amsterdam Pirates
In the game between the Italian and Dutch Pirates, the Amsterdam-squad struck early, scoring once in the top of the first inning.
Nick Urbanus led off with a single off of Dominican starter Alexis Candelario.
The righthander, who played professionally in Nicaragua, México and the Dominican Republic, then saw Urbanus advance on a sacrifice bunt by Michael Duursma and a grounder by Gilmer Lampe.
Urbanus then scored the first run on a surprising bunt-single by Remco Draijer.
Amsterdam Pirates then rallied for three more runs in the third at bat.
With one out, Nick Urbanus doubled and advanced on a wild pitch, then scored when Michael Duursma reached on an error.
Because of the error, two runs were unearned.
Moments later, Duursma moved on a passed ball and scored the next run when Gilmer Lampe followed with a single.
Lampe stole second base, but then was picked off, but Remco Draijer followed with a walk.
Draijer also stole second base and went on to score the third run in the at bat on a single by Danny Rombley.
That led to a pitching change.
Candelario was relieved by Italian/Dominican Yomel Rivera.
The lefthander closed the inning by eliminating Rombley at first base via a pick-off.
After stranding a runner in the fourth, Amsterdam took more distance in the fifth.
Nick Urbanus led off with a walk, moved on a sacrifice bunt by Michael Duursma and scored on a double by Gilmer Lampe to lift the lead to 5-0.
Rivera followed with a strikeout and then was relieved by Roberto Corradini.
The 37-year old veteran righthander hit Danny Rombley with a pitch, but closed with a strikeout.
...Nick Urbanus was 3-for-4 and..
...scored four runs for Amsterdam...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Amsterdam-starter Kevin Heijstek had a strong outing.
With two outs in the first inning, he walked a batter, then gave up a single, but a flyout ended the at bat.
In the second, the righthander gave up a lead-off single to Mirco Caradonna, but then retired the next three batters.
Hereafter, Heijstek retired nine of the next ten batters.
Heijstek retired the side in the third (two strikeouts) and fifth inning.
In between, with two outs in the fourth, he gave up another single to Caradonna, who again stranded.
In the sixth, he hit a batter with one out, but the Amsterdam defense then turned a double play.
With that, Heijstek had retired 14 of the 16 batters he had faced since giving up the lead-off single in the second inning.
Amsterdam scored its sixth run in the top of the seventh inning.
Nick Urbanus led of with an infield-hit, then advanced to third base when a throwing error followed.
He scored when Michael Duursma followed with a sacrifice fly.
Leading 6-0, Robin Schel took over for Heijstek in the bottom of the seventh inning.
He walked lead-off hitter Jairo Ramos Gizzi and was replaced by Tom de Blok.
The righthander hit next batter Mirco Caradonna with a pitch, but followed with a strikeout.
The two runners then moved on a grounder and the bases got loaded when De Blok walked Lino Zappone.
Rimini then scored two runs on a following single by Stefano Desimoni.
Zappone advanced to third base, but the inning ended when Desimoni might have thought of having a chance to move to second base on the throw from the outfield to third base.
Desimoni was surpised and tagged out by first baseman Patrick Bok.
That was the only big opportunity for Rimini to do something back tonight.
In the eighth, De Blok walked a batter with two outs, but he stranded on first base.
In the ninth, Caradonna led off with his third single, but was forced out.
A grounder and flyout then ended the game.
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Amsterdam Pirates opens European Champions Cup with nice win
RIMINI (Italy) -
L&D Amsterdam Pirates registered a nice 6-2 victory against Italian reigning champion Pirati dei Rimini on Tuesday-evening (May 31) in its opening game in Pool B of the European Champions Cup.
In the afternoon on Tuesday, Cupholder Curaçao Neptunus began with a 14-9 victory in Pool A against VOITH Heidenheim Heideköpfe from Germany.
Amsterdam Pirates took an early 4-0 lead after three innings and got strong pitching from starter Kevin Heijstek.
The righthander gave up only three basehits and held Rimini scoreless in the first six innings.