Lefthander Robin Schel started today for Amsterdam instead of scheduled starter Kyle Ward, also a lefthander.
Due to a minor injury, Ward was scrubbed from today's start out of precaution to give him a weekend of rest, looking ahead to the European Champions Cup-tournament, which opens on June 7 in Regensburg (Germany).
Schel did very well, as did Pioniers-starter Nick Keur, also a lefthander.
The result was an attractive game and a pitching-duel, which almost ended in an 1-0 score.
Schel struckout four batters and gave up only two hits in the six innings he pitched.
Keur gave up six hits in seven innings and struckout five batters.
Pioniers got into scoring position only three times off of Schel, but didn't got beyond second base.
In the first inning, Schel gave up a lead-off single to Brennan Nijhof, but he was caught stealing.
In the second, Max Draijer reached on an error with one out and stole second base, but Schel then closed with two strikeouts.
Schel retired the side in the third and fourth inning, then gave up a lead-off single to Draijer in the fifth.
Moments later, Draijer again moved to second base, this time on a throwing error that followed a line out.
But he stranded once more.
In the sixth, Joey Eeman led off for Pioniers with a walk, stole second base and was the third runner to be left behind on second base.
Amsterdam Pirates got more baserunners off of Keur, but was able to score only once.
In the bottom of the first inning, with one out, Zerzinho Croes walked and Nick Urbanus reached on a bunt-single, but two flyouts followed.
Pirates was retired in order in the second inning, then got the bases loaded in the third at bat.
Norbert Jongerius led off and reached on an infield-hit and Remco Draijer reached on a bunt-single.
After the two had advanced on an error, Zerzinho Croes lined out.
Hereafter, the bases got loaded when Nick Urbanus walked, but a double play ended the at bat.
Amsterdam then opened the score in the fourth inning.
Kenny Berkenbosch led off with a triple and scored on a following single by Danny Rombley.
The latter was eliminated in a rundown after a pick-off, then Max Clarijs reached on an error with two outs, but was left behind.
...Jeffrey Arends delivered a game-winning, 2-run single...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
After Keur retired the side in the fifth, he gave up an one-out single to Kenny Berkenbosch in the sixth.
He stole second base with two outs, but Keur closed with a strikeout and retired the side again in the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, Dennis Burgersdijk took over the Amsterdam-pitching.
He gave up a 2-out single to Sander Paap, but ended the inning with a strikeout.
Pirates got into scoring position again in the top of the eighth off of new pitcher Scott Ronnenbergh.
The lefthander gave up a lead-off infield-hit to Zerzinho Croes.
Short stop Dudley Leonora made a diving attempt to stop the ball hit by Croes, but injured himself.
A week ago, against Curaçao Neptunus, Leonora sustained a rib-injury when tried to catch a pop-up single into short centerfield.
Today, Leonora injured the same spot and left the game out of precaution.
Croes advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Urbanus, but then was caught stealing at third base.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Pioniers struck with three runs to turn the game its way.
Mark Smit led off with a single, then an attempt to move him over to second base with a sacrifice bunt ended in a foul-out.
Smit then advanced on a wild pitch and reached third base on an infield-hit by Brennan Nijhof.
He scored the tying run when Mervin Gario followed with a single.
That led to a pitching change, as Nick Veltkamp relieved Dennis Burgersdijk.
Veltkamp, the fourth lefthanded pitcher in this game, got the bases loaded when he walked Shurman Marlin.
Hereafter, he gave up a 2-run single down the leftfield-line to Jeffrey Arends, which put Pioniers ahead, 3-1.
A force play-grounder by Max Draijer then accounted for the second out.
With runners on first and third base, Daan Hendrix became the new pitcher, but the inning ended when Draijer was caught stealing.
Maickel Rietel pitched the ninth inning for Pioniers.
He struckout lead-off hitter Kenny Berkenbosch, but reached on a wild pitch.
Another wild pitch enabled Berkenbosch to move to second base and with two outs, he reached third base on a passed ball.
A flyout then ended the inning and the game.
And that also ended Amsterdam's 8-game winning streak.
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Pioniers ends winning streak Amsterdam
HOOFDDORP (Neth.) -
Hoofddorp Pioniers trailed 1-0 after seven innings against L&D Amsterdam Pirates on Sunday (May 21), but then scored three runs in the eighth inning to win 3-1.
With the win, Pioniers ended Amsterdam's 8-game winning streak and avoided a sweep.
2-minute injury-delay in top 8th for attending short stop Dudley Leonora (Pioniers).