Today's game had a rare start.
Not only were both starting pitchers rookies, both also started their first big league-game.
Lars Vogelaar already had made his debut last season, pitching in relief in two innings for DSS.
This season, he pitched in relief in six games.
Neptunus-starter Mike van den Berg made his debut in the highest league today.
He had pitched in a few exhibition games, but in the regular season, the righthander had pitched for Tridents, the second team of Neptunus in the second highest league.
Neptunus struck with three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Stijn van der Meer led off with an infield-hit.
Hereafter, Benjamin Dille reached on a bunt-single, which was followed by a throwing error, resulting in runners on second and third base.
The two scored on a double by Dwayne Kemp, who then scored himself on a single by Gianison Boekhoudt.
A flyout and force out followed, then Lars Vogelaar closed with a strikeout.
Mike van den Berg walked a batter in the first inning, but then gave up a run in the second at bat.
In that inning, Van den Berg gave up an one-out single to Djewi Appelman and got the bases loaded when Sven van de Sanden (who was celebrating his birthday) also singled and Thomas Bos reached on a bunt-single.
A run was then scored when next batter Mitchel Dautzenberg walked, but DSS left three runners behind.
First, Van de Sanden was forced out at the plate and the inning ended with a strikeout.
After Neptunus left a runner behind on third base in the bottom of the second inning, DSS came alongside in the top of the third.
Koen Halderman led off with a single and scored on a following double by Omar Williams.
The latter moved on a grounder by Tino van Erk and scored the tying run on a single by Sven van de Sanden.
Neptunus left another runner behind on third base in the bottom of the fourth and then saw DSS take a 4-3 lead in the fourth.
It could have been a bigger lead, but the Haarlem-squad again left three runners behind.
Mitchel Dautzenberg led off with a walk and Kevin Nieveld singled, which led to a pitching change, as Christian Diaz took over from Mike van den Berg.
Diaz, who was the leading hitter in the Dutch big league the last two seasons, didn't start today.
Due to the injuries in the pitching-staff, he was kept in the bullpen today to bring him in as a reliever.
With runners on first and third base, Diaz gave up a sacrifice fly to Devano Pieter, which gave DSS the lead.
Koen Halderman then walked, but Diaz followed with a strikeout.
However, the runners moved on a wild pitch, then Diaz got the bases loaded when he hit Tino van Erk with a pitch.
A comeback-grounder ended the inning and so, three runners were left behind.
Neptunus got a chance to come alongside in the bottom of the fourth.
With two outs, the team had runners on first and second base, but a force out followed.
After Diaz retired the side in the top of the fifth, Neptunus tied the score in the home half of the inning off of new pitcher Tim Halderman.
With one out, Gianison Boekhoudt hit a line drive homerun just inside the foul pole to make it a 4-4 score.
...Ruar Verkerk...
...walk-off homerun...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the top of the sixth, DSS took the lead for the second time.
Diaz walked lead-off hitter Kevin Nieveld and gave up a bunt-single to Devano Pieter.
After Nieveld had stolen third base, Koen Halderman grounded into a double play, but that also led to a run and made it 5-4.
Diaz again retired the side in the seventh.
He was then relieved in the top of the eighth by Misja Harcksen, who is bothered by a slight leg-injury.
As Diaz was not needed anymore on the mound, he now entered the batting order and took over in rightfield, as his bat might be needed in the upcoming innings.
That also meant that Harcksen entered the batting order, as the designated hitter was dropped.
Harcksen gave up an one-out single to Kevin Nieveld, but then was supported with a double play.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Reggie Bomberg took over the pitching for DSS.
Neptunus was able to come alongside, scoring on an error, but now it was their turn to leave three runners behind.
With one out, Ruar Verkerk walked and Gregory Muller singled.
In his first at bat in the game, Christian Diaz showed his offense, as he also singled.
That was followed by an outfield-error, enabling Verkerk to score.
With runners on second and third base, a grounder by Shaldimar Daantji led to the elimination at the plate of Muller.
The bases got loaded when Stijn van der Meer walked.
A grounder then ended the at bat, but the score was 5-5.
In the top of the ninth, Berry van Driel took the mound for Neptunus.
He walked Tino van Erk with two outs, but a flyout followed.
In the bottom of the ninth, Bayron Cornelisse took over the DSS-pitching.
Last year, the closer played for Neptunus, but after spending one season with the Rotterdam-club, he returned to Hoofddorp Pioniers.
However, there, it came to a separation before the start of this season and he transfered to DSS early May.
On May 13, Cornelisse made his debut in a DSS-uniform against Pickles UVV, which won the game.
As UVV used an ineligible player in that game, it was declared invalid and will be replayed coming Tuesday (May 30).
With that, Cornelisse made his new official debut as a DSS-pitcher today.
The righthander got two quick outs.
He then gave up a single to Daniel Fernandes.
As the single went down the leftfield-line, he was sent to second base trying to stretch his hit into a double.
However, he ended up short and was thrown out at second base by leftfielder Kevin Nieveld.
And so, the game went into extra innings.
In the top of the tenth inning, Van Driel walked Thomas Bos.
He was caught stealing, then a grounder ended the at bat.
In the bottom of the tenth, Cornelisse also returned and faced Ruar Verkerk.
He made good contact on a 3-1 delivery and hit the ball over the rightfield-fence for a walk-off homerun.
And that also was the first homerun in his big league-career!
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Neptunus needs extra inning to win against DSS
ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus trailed twice on Sunday (May 28) against DSS and needed an extra inning to win 6-5 and complete a 3-game sweep.
Mike van den Berg (Neptunus) makes his debut in the Dutch big league.