The opening game was a match-up between two veteran pitchers
Righthander Rob Cordemans took the mound for Amsterdam Pirates, while lefthander Diegomar Markwell started for Neptunus.
Both teams scored in the first inning, but it was Amsterdam Pirates that created a productive rally, resulting in four runs.
In the top of the first inning, Stijn van der Meer led off the game with a single off of Cordemans.
He moved on a sacrifice bunt by Benjamin Dille and a grounder by Dwayne Kemp, then scored the opening run when a grounder by Gianison Boekhoudt was misplayed by third baseman Rashid Gerard.
The 1-0 lead for Neptunus was shortlived, as Amsterdam Pirates answered with four runs in its first at bat off of Markwell.
With one out, Nick Urbanus singled and Gilmer Lampe walked.
Moments later, the tying run crossed home plate when Kalian Sams also singled.
Hereafter, Kenny Berkenbosch delivered a runscoring single and when veteran centerfielder Shaldimar Daantji committed a fielding error, this led to runners on second and third base.
Markwell then struckout next hitter Linoy Croes, but then gave up a 2-run single to Rashid Gerard, which lifted the Amsterdam-lead to 4-1.
Markwell clearly was in trouble in the first inning, as he also gave up a single to next hitter Max Clarijs.
More runs were avoided when a foul ball resulted in the third out.
In the second inning, Rob Cordemans struckout the side.
In his second inning on the mound, with two outs, Diegomar Markwell walked Gilmer Lampe and Kalian Sams, probably pitching around the two powerhitters.
A grounder ended the at bat and the two stranded on first and second base.
Cordemans again retired the side in the third inning, which began with his fourth consecutive strikeout.
Markwell walked lead-off hitter Linoy Croes in his third inning, but was then supported with a double play.
...Kalian Sams...
...2 Runs, 4 RBI's...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the fourth, Neptunus cut the deficit in half when Gianison Boekhoudt homered with one out.
But that also was to be the last run Neptunus scored in the game.
Amsterdam Pirates got on base again in the bottom of the fourth.
With two outs, Gilmer Lampe singled, which led to the departure of Diegomar Markwell, who was relieved by Kevin Kelly.
For Markwell, this was his shortest outing in 21 Holland Series-appearances since making his first one in 2005.
Last year, Pirates also chased Markwell from the mound in the opener, hitting nine basehits in 4 1/3 inning.
With Kelly on the mound, Lampe stole second base, but then was left behind.
In the top of the fifth, Neptunus got the bases loaded with two outs off of Cordemans.
With one out, Shaldimar Daantji singled, but was forced out on a grounder by Jochem Koedijk.
The bases then got loaded when Stijn van der Meer singled and Benjamin Dille walked.
The inning ended when the latter was forced out on a grounder by Dwayne Kemp.
Pirates also left another runner in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth.
With one out, Linoy Croes singled and stole second base, but stranded on second base.
The home team added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning off of reliever Loek van Mil.
He walked lead-off hitter Gilmer Lampe, who then stole second base.
Moments later, Lampe scored on a following line drive infield-hit by Kalian Sams off the leg of third baseman Dwayne Kemp, who fell down but was able to continue and stayed in the game.
Hereafter, Kenny Berkenbosch produced his second runscoring single of the evening, making it a 6-2 score.
In the meantime, Rob Cordemans silenced the Neptunian offense, as he retired seven consecutive hitters from the sixth inning on.
With one out in the eighth, Cordemans gave up a single to Benjamin Dille.
When next batter Dwayne Kemp flied out, the evening ended for the veteran righthander, who turns 44 next month.
Lefthander Jim Ploeger took over.
He saw Dille steal second base, but then closed the inning by striking out Gianison Boekhoudt.
...Rob Cordemans...
...winning pitcher...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Pirates enlarged its lead to 8-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, also off of Loek van Mil.
Niels van Weert led off with a single and stole second base while Van Mil struckout Remco Draijer.
Van Weert then advanced to third base on a single by Nick Urbanus and when the Neptunian defense paid more attention to Van Weert moving to third base, Urbanus took second base.
Hereafter, the bases were loaded when Gilmer Lampe received his fourth walk of the evening.
The last time that a batter walked four times in one game during the Holland Series was in 2010 when Eugène Kingsale did it for Neptunus in Game 3 when Amsterdam Pirates also was the opponent.
With the bases loaded, Kalian Sams drove the ball through the leftside of the infield for a 2-run single.
In the top of the ninth, Jim Ploeger retired the side to close the game.
For Rob Cordemans, this is the 16th time that he plays in a Holland Series.
Cordemans pitched in his first Holland Series in 1994 when he played for Neptunus.
Tonight was his 30th game in a Championship Final in which he was credited with his 14th Holland Series-victory.
But it was his first win since 2011.
This season, Cordemans broke the All-Time StrikeOut-record.
Next season, he can become the first pitcher in history with 2,000 strikeouts, 200 victories and 2,000 innings pitched.
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Amsterdam Pirates opens Holland Series with convincing win
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
L&D Amsterdam Pirates opened the 31st Holland Series on Thursday-evening (September 27) with a convincing 8-2 victory against reigning champion Curaçao Neptunus.
Game Two of the best-of-seven will be played coming Saturday, also in Amsterdam.
The Series then moves to Rotterdam for the next two games, which will be played on Sunday and Thursday.
Game 1, best-of-seven Holland Series; Amsterdam Pirates leads, 1-0.