Tonight's game went underway under sunny weather conditions and an almost clear sky.
The site of HCAW is know for its sun-delays.
When there is a bright sun, games have to be interrupted when the sun sets behind left-centerfield, which then bothers the hitters.
The longest sun-delay recorded took almost one-and-a-half-hour.
But tonight, the sun was not bright enough and there was no sun-delay.
Neptunus led only 1-0 after four innings and 4-1 after six at bats.
Neptunus then decided the game by scoring four runs in the top of the seventh.
After stranding a runner on third base in the first inning, Neptunus opened the score in the second at bat off of starter Timo van Ancum.
With one out, Quintin De Cuba and Gregory Muller both singled.
Hereafter, De Cuba scored on a single by rookie Darryl Collins, which was his first in the highest division.
Last season, Collins made his debut, played in two games and got one plate appearance.
Two grounders followed and Neptunus left runners behind on second and third base.
In the third, Neptunus got into scoring position again.
This time, the inning ended when Dwayne Kemp tried to advance to third base on a wild pitch, but was eliminated.
HCAW recorded only one basehit in this game, but it got a chance to come alongside in the bottom of the second.
In this at bat, Neptunus-starter Diegomar Markwell walked three hitters.
The lefthander walked lead-off hitter Vince Rooi, but he was forced out.
With two outs, the bases got loaded when Patrick Bok and Kevin Weijgertse also walked.
But the home team left three runners behind when another force out ended the at bat.
HCAW got another scoring opportunity in the third inning without hitting a basehit.
Lead-off hitter Jeandro Tromp reached second base on a throwing error, then moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Berend Ruben, who also reached base himself.
However, shortly hereafter, Tromp was eliminated on a comeback-grounder by Roelie Henrique to pitcher Markwell, who then closed the inning by striking out the next two hitters.
Neptunus took some more distance by adding three runs in the top of the fifth inning off of Chris Pfau.
The lefthander threw eight strong innings last Sunday as starter against Quick Amersfoort, striking out 12 hitters and needing 105 pitches.
After only three days of rest, Pfau returned to the mound again.
Tonight, he was less successful, as he gave up seven hits and seven runs in three innings, but also struckout five hitters.
On Friday, the American pitcher will travel to the USA, due to family-circumstances.
...HCAW Head Coach Roeland Henrique (left) hands...
...flowers to Neptunus Head Coach Ronald Jaarsma...
...to congratulate Neptunus with its 75th anniversary...
...Jaarsma played most of his career for HCAW...
(© Photo: Alfred Cop Fotografie) |
In the fifth, the bases got loaded when Jochem Koedijk and Stijn van der Meer both walked and Benjamin Dille reached on a bunt-single.
All three scored when Dwayne Kemp followed with a baseclearing, 3-run double.
However, Kemp overran second base, got into a rundown and was eliminated.
Dudley Leonora followed with a double, but stranded on second base.
In the bottom of the fifth, HCAW scored its lone run in the game, which began with its lone basehit.
Julian Goins led off with a triple, then was able to score when a throwing error followed.
In the next inning, HCAW got another runner in scoring position off of Riki Saito.
The lefthander walked lead-off hitter Vince Rooi, who moved on a wild pitch and a grounder, but was left behind on third base.
Neptunus decided the game with a 4-run rally on four hits in the top of the seventh inning off Pfau.
Two runs were unearned, as the HCAW-defense committed two errors.
Lead-off hitter Stijn van der Meer reached on an error and Benjamin Dille singled.
The two scored when Dudley Leonora followed with a homerun.
Shaldimar Daantji and Quintin De Cuba then also singled to put runners at the corners.
In an attempt to force out De Cuba on second base on a grounder by Gregory Muller, an error was made.
Daantji scored on the grounder by Muller, while De Cuba ended up on third base, where he stranded.
In the seventh and eighth inning, HCAW reached base again, this time off of Taylor Clemensia, who made his debut in a Neptunus-uniform, but the lefthander was supported with two double plays.
In the seventh inning, Clemensia walked Kevin Weijgertse and Julian Goins.
A double play followed and a strikeout ended the at bat.
In the eighth, Vince Rooi walked with one out, then another double play was made.
Neptunus scored one more run in the ninth inning off of Seb Visser, who was the designated hitter and took over the pitching in the eighth.
Shaldimar Daantji led off the ninth with a triple and scored on a single by Quintin De Cuba.
In the bottom of the ninth, HCAW got one more baserunner off of closer Loek van Mil.
He walked Patrick Bok with one out, but two grounders then ended the game.
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Neptunus one-hits HCAW, but secures win late
BUSSUM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus led only 1-0 after four innings on Thursday-evening (May 3) against HCAW, but went on to record a comfortable 9-1 victory to remain unbeaten.
Neptunus won its fourth game of the season on the day that it celebrated its 75th anniversary.
HCAW was limited to only one basehit by four pitchers.
The lone hit was a lead-off triple by Julian Goins in the fifth inning.
But the four pitchers walked eight hitters combined.
Joel Hernandez (Neptunus) makes his debut in the Dutch big league.