Hoofddorp Pioniers took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning off of Rob Cordemans.
The veteran righthander was 9-0 before tonight and could become the first 10-game winner of the season.
The last time that Cordemans won ten games in a season was in 2013.
In tonight's game, Cordemans struckout seven batters in seven innings.
With that, he is now 27 strikeouts away from tying the All-Time StrikeOut-record of Bart Volkerijk.
After tonight, Cordemans will get one more start in the regular season.
Unless he pitches a 27-strikeout Perfect Game next week, he will even and break the record next season.
The statistics of the games that are played in the following Championship Pool are not counting for the regular season-stats.
In the first inning, Cordemans got two quick outs with a flyout and a strikeout.
He then gave up a double to Dudley Leonora, which was followed by a homerun from Jeffrey Arends.
Hereafter, Max Draijer, who is the nephew of Amsterdam-centerfielder Remco Draijer reached on an error, but Cordemans closed with a strikeout.
In tonight's game, Pioniers again played without former pro Chris Garia.
He played with the Netherlands Team in the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam, then joined Pioniers for the remainder of the season.
A week ago, against Curaçao Neptunus, he played in his first game of the season for the Hoofddorp-squad, but he then didn't play in the two weekend-games.
It was said that the outfielder currently is not available to play due to family-circumstances.
Amsterdam got one run back in its first at bat off of starter Lars Huijer.
He walked lead-off hitter Remco Draijer, who moved on an one-out single by Nick Urbanus.
Draijer scored on a following single by Gilmer Lampe, which led to runners on second and third base.
Huijer then closed the at bat with a strikeout and a flyout.
Pioniers got into scoring position again in the next two at bats.
With two outs in the second, Mark Smit reached on an error and stole second base, but Cordemans again closed with a strikeout.
In the third, Jeffrey Arends doubled, but stayed behind.
Pioniers added a run in the top of the fourth.
With one out, Quintin De Cuba reached on an infield-hit, then Glenn Bakker was hit by a pitch.
Mark Smit followed with a runcoring double.
With runners on second and third base, Rob Cordemans struckout the next batter, but got the bases loaded when he walked Mervin Gario.
The three runners were left behind when a pop-fly ended the inning.
Cordemans retired the side in the next three innings.
However, offensively, Amsterdam was unable to do some scoring and left several runners behind in scoring position.
In the bottom of the fourth, Danny Rombley singled with one out and Kenny Berkenbosch then doubled.
Lars Huijer followed with a strikeout, got the bases loaded when he hit Max Clarijs with a pitch, but closed with another strikeout.
In the fifth, Remco Draijer led off with a single and stole second base.
With one out, Nick Urbanus walked, then Draijer stole third while the next batter struckout, but they also were left behind.
In the sixth, off of new pitcher Glenn Wassink, Patrick Bok reached on an error, then Max Clarijs singled.
The two runners moved when a throwing error followed on a line out, but stranded on second and third base when Wassink closed with a strikeout.
Pioniers was retired in order again in the top of the eighth by relievers Dennis Burgersdijk and Nick Veltkamp.
Moments later, Amsterdam came alongside in its eighth at bat.
Danny Rombley led off with a walk, then Wassink followed with a strikeout and was relieved by Scott Ronnenbergh.
The lefthander was greeted with a pinch-hit runscoring triple by Rashid Gerard and a runscoring single by Max Clarijs that tied the score at 3-3.
After Clarijs had stolen second base, Ronnenbergh followed with a strikeout, but then walked Remco Draijer on a wild pitch that brought Clarijs to third base.
With runners on first and third base, rookie Luuk ter Beek was called to the mound and he got an inning-ending flyout.
In the top of the ninth, Pioniers was retired in order for the fifth consecutive inning, this time by relievers Nick Veltkamp and Daan Hendrix.
Pioniers, which was outhit 9-5, last had reached base in the fourth inning, but the final 16 batters were retired in order.
Amsterdam got its powerhitters coming up in the bottom of the ninth, but Ter Beek got two quick outs.
He then walked Danny Rombley, but a grounder ended the at bat.
And as the 10:30 PM curfew had been reached, it also ended the game.
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Amsterdam Pirates vs. Hoofddorp Pioniers opening-game ends in tie
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
The opening-game of the 3-game series between L&D Amsterdam Pirates and Hoofddorp Pioniers on Thursday-evening (July 27) ended in a 3-3 tie.
With this result, Amsterdam is closing in on finishing the regular season in first place.
Pioniers will end in either third or fourth place.