Today's game was started by two lefthanded pitchers.
Jim Ploeger took the mound for Amsterdam Pirates, Diegomar Markwell started for Neptunus.
With that, Amsterdam Head Coach Michael Duursma stuck to his announced rotation, as Ploeger was already named to start Game 2.
For Neptunus, Markwell was the announced starter for Game 1, but Neptunus Head Coach Ronald Jaarsma moved the lefthander to today's game after Saturday's game rained out.
Jaarsma had not yet announced his starter for Game 2 in advance.
Rob Cordemans was announced as starter for Pirates in Game 1 and it has been confirmed that the righthander now will be the starter in the make-up game on Monday-evening.
The starter for Neptunus for Game 2 has yet to be determined, which will be done on Monday.
The other two starters in the team are righthanders Orlando Yntema and Kaj Timmermans, but the first is recovering from a shoulder-injury.
Jaarsma did made some adjustments to his batting order as opposed to the previous two games when the team played without Belgian infielder Benjamin Dille.
He was now back in the line-up and the batting order used today was almost similar used to the one on September 20 when Neptunus played against Hoofddorp Pioniers.
However, he switched the batters that were in the fifth and sixth slot, as Gianison Boekhoudt now batted fifth instead of sixth, switching places with Dudley Leonora.
Another change was made defensively, as Dwayne Kemp was the leftfielder, as regular leftfielder Greg Muller didn't play.
Kemp, who is the regular second baseman for Neptunus, played in the outfield before, but didn't do so this season.
Amsterdam Pirates also had most regulars in the line-up, except Roelie Henrique, who mostly played in leftfield.
Denzel Richardson, who shared his playing time in the outfield or as designated hitter, was the rightfielder today, sharing the outfield with Gilmer Lampe and Kalian Sams.
Delano Selassa was the DH today, a position he filled in several times in previous games, besides being the second baseman in other games.
...Jim Ploeger (7 innings) and Shairon Martis (2 innings)...
...gave a solid pitching-performance...
(© Photos: Henk Seppen) |
Neptunus opened the score in the top of the first inning off of Ploeger.
The lefthander walked lead-off hitter Coco Johnson, who then moved to second then third base on following grounders by Benjamin Dille and Stijn van der Meer.
With two outs, Johnson scored on a double down the leftfield-line by Dwayne Kemp to give his team an early lead.
But it was to be the lone Rotterdam-run in this game.
After Diegomar Markwell had retired the side in the bottom of the first inning, he got two baserunners in the next at bat.
With one out, the lefthander gave up singles to Kenny Berkenbosch and Delano Selassa, but hereafter, the inning ended when Rashid Gerard grounded into a double play.
In the bottom of the third inning, Pirates got another scoring opportunity.
This time, Markwell walked lead-off hitter Max Clarijs and with one out, he also walked Gilmer Lampe.
A hard grounder from Sharlon Schoop followed.
The ball caroomed from third baseman Stijn van der Meer to short stop John Polonius, who was able to force out Lampe at second base in a rare 5-6-4 play.
With runners at the corners, the inning ended when Denzel Richardson fouled out.
After giving up the run in the first inning, Jim Ploeger retired the side in the next two Neptunian at bats.
After having retired eight batters in a row, Ploeger gave up an one-out single to Dwayne Kemp in the fourth inning.
Shortly thereafter, Kemp was caught stealing after a successful pick-off to first base by Ploeger.
The lefthander then closed the inning by striking out Gianison Boekhoudt.
Amsterdam Pirates came close to tying the score in the bottom of the fourth.
With one out, Kenny Berkenbosch singled, but was forced out on a grounder by Delano Selassa.
Next batter Rashid Gerard walked and with runners on first and second base, Max Clarijs singled through the leftside of the infield.
While the ball now was in leftfield, Selassa was waved home, but was eliminated there on a throw from leftfielder Dwayne Kemp (who is the regular second baseman) to catcher Dashenko Ricardo.
And instead of having the bases loaded with two outs, the inning now ended.
In the top of the fifth, Neptunus got its first runner into scoring position since the opening at bat.
With two outs, Dashenko Ricardo and Shaldimar Daantji both singled.
But the latter was forced out on a grounder by Coco Johnson.
Pirates left a runner behind on first base in the bottom of the fifth.
With two outs, Diegomar Markwell hit Sharlon Schoop with a pitch.
But a flyout ended the at bat.
Neptunus got a chance to re-take the lead in the top of the sixth when it got runners on second and third base with one out.
Belgian Benjamin Dille led off with a single and Stijn van der Meer reached on a bunt-single.
The two runners advanced on a successful sacrifice bunt by Dwayne Kemp.
With one out, Jim Ploeger struckout Gianison Boekhoudt, then got an inning-ending flyout from Dudley Leonora.
...Max Clarijs celebrates his RBI-double in the 8th inning...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Moments later, Amsterdam Pirates came alongside in the bottom of the sixth inning when powerhitter Kalian Sams led off with a homerun.
With the score now at 1-1, Neptunus lead-off hitter John Polonius reached base in the top of the seventh on an error.
His stay on the bases was short, as next batter Dashenko Ricardo grounded into a double play.
A following grounder by Shaldimar Daantji then ended this Neptunus-at bat.
In the bottom of the seventh, Aaron de Groot took over the Neptunus-pitching.
And Pirates then got another runner in scoring position.
De Groot walked lead-off hitter Max Clarijs, who then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Niels van Weert.
After next batter Gilmer Lampe had flied out, Sharlon Schoop was walked intentionally.
This to set up a force play, but also avoid the effective bat of Schoop.
Two runners were left behind as the inning ended when Denzel Richardson flied out.
In the top of the eighth, Amsterdam Pirates also inserted a new pitcher, as Shairon Martis took over from Jim Ploeger.
The former Major Leaguer retired the side, including one strikeout.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Pirates broke the 1-1 tie with two outs.
Aaron de Groot walked lead-off hitter Kalian Sams, who then stole second base.
When De Groot also walked next batter Kenny Berkenbosch, Neptunus Head Coach Ronald Jaarsma came out of the dug-out to make a pitching change.
He brought in closer Kevin Kelly to take over from De Groot, who had not given a basehit, but had walked four batters.
Kelly faced faced Delano Selassa.
The MVP of last years Holland Series turned and placed a sacrifice bunt that put the two runners on second and third base.
With one out (and first base open), next batter Rashid Gerard went after the first pitch he saw and flied out.
Now with two outs, Kelly uncorked a wild pitch that enabled Sams to score and put Pirates ahead, 2-1.
Moments later, Berkenbosch scored the third Amsterdam-run when Max Clarijs delived a double down the leftfield-line.
In the top of the ninth, Shairon Martis retired the side to seal the win.
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Amsterdam Pirates opens Holland Series vs. Neptunus with win
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
Defending champion L&D Amsterdam Pirates opened the best-of-seven Holland Series against Curaçao Neptunus on Sunday-afternoon (October 11) at home with a 3-1 victory.
On Saturday-afternoon, the opening game of the Championship Final, which was to be played in Rotterdam, was cancelled in the morning due to rain and field-conditions.
The game has been re-scheduled for Monday-evening in Rotterdam.
Game 1 Holland Series 2020.