In this series, Neptunus will miss some of its younger players.
Coming Monday, the Netherlands Under-18 Team opens the European Championship Juniors in Italy.
To prepare for the event, the team is currently in Regensburg (Germany).
Neptunus-pitcher Jiorgeny Casimiri and outfielders Darryl Collins and Ruendrick Piternella were selected for the team.
For today, Collins returned from Germany to be with Neptunus.
He also will be with the squad coming Saturday.
Besides that, veteran outfielder Shaldimar Daantji will miss the entire series, due to private reasons.
Neptunus struck with four runs in the top of the first inning on five basehits off of Amsterdam-starter Kevin Heijstek.
Neptunus took a quick 2-0 lead, as the righthander gave up a basehit to three of the first four hitters.
Stijn van der Meer led off with a single and moved to third base on an one-out single by Dwayne Kemp.
Hereafter, both scored on a single by Gianison Boekhoudt.
An error the followed on a force play-grounder by Dudley Leonora and a single by Darryl Collins loaded the bases.
Two runs were added when next hitter Quintin De Cuba connected for a 2-run double.
In this opening at bat, the Amsterdam-defense made two errors, which is very rare.
Before today's game, the team led the league in fewest errors, only 15.
The 17 errors are still the fewest, followed by Neptunus, whose defense made 19.
In comparison, the defense of Silicon Storks made the most errors so far with 72.
In the remainder of the game, Neptunus added only three more basehits and got only three more runners in scoring position.
After giving up the four runs in the first inning, Kevin Heijstek retired 12 of the next 13 hitters.
In the second inning, he gave up an one-out single to Benjamin Dille, but he was caught stealing.
Neptunus got its next runner in scoring position in the sixth inning.
With one out, Dudley Leonora and Darryl Collins both singled to put runners at the corners.
After the latter stole second base, a force play was set up by walking Quintin De Cuba intentionally.
The three runners were left behind when a flyout and groundout ended the at bat.
In the eighth inning, Jim Ploeger took over from Heijstek.
He walked lead-off hitter Gianison Boekhoudt, who stole second base with two outs, but was left behind.
Diegomar Markwell started for Neptunus and retired nine of the first ten hitters he faced.
The lefthander then encountered some problems in the fourth inning and gave up two runs.
With one out, Amsterdam got the bases loaded when Nick Urbanus, Kenny Berkenbosch and Rashid Gerard all singled.
Hereafter, Markwell walked Rodney Daal to bring in a run, then uncorked a wild pitch which led to the second run.
With runners on second and third base, two grounders ended the inning, but Amsterdam had narrowed the deficit to 4-2.
In the next two innings, Markwell allowed one batter to reach base.
He returned to the mound in the seventh and gave up a lead-off single to Linoy Croes.
The lefthander was then relieved by Loek van Mil, who got the bases loaded.
First, Croes moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Max Clarijs.
Van Mil then walked Victor Draijer and Remco Draijer, which loaded the bases.
Moments later, a run was scored on a grounder by pinch-hitter Zerzinho Croes.
But with runners on second and third base, Van Mil closed with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Amsterdam got another chance to do some scoring.
With one out, Max Clarijs singled, which led to the next pitching change, as Berry van Driel took over.
With two outs, he gave up a single to Remco Draijer, which gave Amsterdam runners at the corners.
However, a grounder then ended the inning and the game.
With that, Diegomar Markwell's record was raised to 8-0.
Kevin Heijstek was credited with his first loss of the season and is now 5-1.
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Neptunus nips Amsterdam Pirates in series-opener
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus opened the 3-game series against league-leader L&D Amsterdam Pirates on Thursday-evening (July 5) with a 4-3 win in Amsterdam.