Today's game was another match-up between two experienced starting pitchers, as Kevin Heijstek started for Amsterdam Pirates and Orlando Yntema was the starter for Neptunus.
There was one big difference, Yntema left the mound in the second inning, while Heijstek went the distance.
For Heijstek, it was the first time that he threw a complete game in a Holland Series.
In doing so, the righthander threw the 24th shutout in Holland Series-history, which begins in 1987.
For Amsterdam Pirates, this was its fourth-ever Holland Series-shutout victory, including three against Neptunus.
It marked the seventh time that Neptunus was shutout in a Holland Series-game.
Two of these shutouts were 10-run difference scores.
In 1998, HCAW shutout Neptunus 10-0 in 6½ inning and last year, Pirates recorded a 12-0 win in seven innings.
In today's game, Neptunus collected only three basehits.
The last time that Neptunus was limited to only three hits in a Holland Series was in 2010.
Back then, Neptunus had two games in which it recorded three basehits (Games 3 and 4).
The opponent then also was Amsterdam Pirates.
Like in the opener, Neptunus again faced what was to be a decisive deficit in the first inning.
In the top of the at bat, Neptunus got its first two hitters on base off of Kevin Heijstek, as Stijn van der Meer led off with a single and Benjamin Dille walked.
But hereafter, two flyouts and a force out followed.
...Gilmer Lampe (right) hit a 3-run double for Amsterdam...
...At left is Kenny Berkenbosch, who was honored...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Moments later, Amsterdam struck with three runs off of Orlando Yntema.
The righthander walked lead-off hitter Remco Draijer, then gave up a single to Nick Urbanus.
Draijer then moved to third base when Gilmer Lampe flied out and scored the first run when Urbanus was forced out at second base on a grounder by Kalian Sams.
Kenny Berkenbosch then doubled to put runners on second and third base and they scored when Linoy Croes followed with a single.
In the second inning, Quintin De Cuba led off for Neptunus with a single and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Darryl Collins, but he stranded on second base.
Amsterdam doubled its lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the second inning.
Orlando Yntema needed a lot of pitches and got the bases loaded when he walked Niels van Weert, Remco Draijer and Nick Urbanus.
All three scored when Gilmer Lampe followed with a baseclearing, 3-run double.
That marked the end for Yntema, who Thursday-evening left the team and went home to recover from a cold he sustained during the Super 6, which ended on Sunday in Hoofddorp.
Several other players and officials also got a cold as a result of the sometimes strong (and cold) winds at the site in Hoofddorp.
Brendan Schoemaker took over for Yntema.
He struckout Kalian Sams, but then hit Kenny Berkenbosch with a pitch and got the bases loaded when Linoy Croes singled.
A strange situation then followed on a pop-fly in the infield by next hitter Rashid Gerard.
None of the infielders seemed to react, but an infield-fly was called with the ball dropping on the ground in front of first baseman Dudley Leonora.
None of the runners left their bases and so, the bases remained loaded with two outs.
But they all stranded when a force play ended the at bat.
Amsterdam Pirates got an opportunity to increase its lead even more in the next two innings, but then again left three runners behind in both the third and fourth inning.
...Kevin Heijstek threw a complete game shutout...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the third, Brendan Schoemaker walked Niels van Weert and Remco Draijer, then got a flyout.
Hereafter, he got on an 1-2 count on Gilmer Lampe, who then checked his swing on the next pitch.
Lampe appeared to leave the batter's box, but no strike was called on the check and so, he stepped back to continue his at bat.
Lampe was then hit on his back on the next delivery by Schoemaker and that loaded the bases.
The inning ended when the righthander struckout Kalian Sams and Kenny Berkenbosch.
With one out in the fourth, Rashid Gerard singled and Max Clarijs reached on an error.
With two outs, the bases got loaded when Remco Draijer walked.
But Schoemaker again avoided giving up runs, as a he got an inning-ending grounder from Nick Urbanus.
Schoemaker then retired the side in the fifth and sixth inning.
Berry van Driel took over the Neptunus-pitching in the seventh.
He gave up an one-out double to Remco Draijer, but he stranded on second base.
Amsterdam Pirates scored its seventh run in the bottom of the eighth off of lefthander Taylor Clemensia.
He gave up a lead-off single to Kalian Sams, who then advanced on a wild pitch.
Next, Kenny Berkenbosch walked, but he was forced out on a grounder by Linoy Croes.
That brought Sams to third base and he then scored on a sacrifice fly by Rashid Gerard.
Kevin Heijstek dominated on the mound for Amsterdam from the third inning on.
From that moment on, the righthander allowed only one batter to reach base!
After having retired ten batters in a row since the second inning, Heijstek gave up an infield-hit to Shaldimar Daantji, who didn't get beyond first base.
Hereafter, Heijstek retired the next fourteen consecutive batters to record his first complete game and shutout in a Holland Series.
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Amsterdam Pirates shuts out Neptunus to take 2-0 lead in Holland Series
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
L&D Amsterdam Pirates shutout Curaçao Neptunus 7-0 on Saturday-afternoon (September 29) to win its second game of the best-of-seven Holland Series.
Amsterdam Pirates opened the Series on Thursday-evening with a convincing 8-2 victory against the reigning champion.
The Series now moves to Rotterdam, where Game 3 will be played on Sunday.
Game 4 will be played coming Thursday-evening.
Game 2, best-of-seven Holland Series; Amsterdam Pirates leads, 2-0.