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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar) Amsterdam Pirates wins make-up game; Hoofddorp Pioniers eliminated for Holland Series Nederlands HOOFDDORP / AMSTERDAM (Neth.) - L&D Amsterdam Pirates won 5-2 to complete a 3-game sweep against Hoofddorp Pioniers on Tuesday-evening (September 29) in a make-up game that already was a make-up game and today also changed playing sites. With tonight's loss, Pioniers became the first team to be eliminated for the best-of-seven Holland Series. Pioniers now will participate in the 8-team, 2-week Cup-Competition that begins on October 10 and was added to the postseason in June, as proposed then and agreed to participate by all teams in the two highest divisions. For Pioniers, this was its final game in the Top-4 Pool, while Pirates still has five make-up games ahead of them. Tonight's game was initially scheduled for last Saturday, but then was cancelled due to rain and field-conditions. The game was re-scheduled for Monday-evening, but then rained out again and was moved to tonight. The 3-game series opened on Thursday-evening when Amsterdam Pirates returned to action and recorded a convincing 13-1 win in 6½ inning. Before that, five games of Pirates were postponed due to three positive cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in its team. After Saturday's rainout, Amsterdam Pirates won the next game on Sunday with a 6-3 score. Tonight's game was a home-game for Pioniers and was to be played at its site in Hoofddorp. However, due to the very rainy circumstances in the past few days, the field in Hoofddorp had become unplayable. It was then decided to move the game to the site of Pirates in Amsterdam. Due to the raise of corona-cases in somes cities, including Rotterdam (which had the most cases), Amsterdam and The Hague, there were some discussions throughout the day whether or not to play tonight in Amsterdam. Also because if was announced since Monday's press conference by the Dutch Government to not make non-essential travels to minimize contacts between people. There also were talks with the KNBSB. It was reported that Pioniers opposed to traveling to and play in Amsterdam, but in the end, the team traveled to the capital and the game was played. It marked the second time this season that a game changed sites on the same day. On August 30, the regular season-game between Silicon Storks and Curaçao Neptunus was to be played at the site of Storks in The Hague. Just like the situation today, the field became unplayable due to rain and was moved to Rotterdam, where it then was played at the site of Neptunus. Tonight's game was one of two that were played without spectators. On Monday-evening, the Dutch Government announced new stricter measures that came into effect on 6 PM today against the spread of the coronavirus. The second game tonight was played between Neptunus and HCAW, but that was halted in the second inning due to rain and will be completed tomorrow-evening. Amsterdam Pirates broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the fourth inning tonight, then added two insurance runs in the seventh. The team collected 13 basehits, including three by Delano Selassa and a homerun by Kalian Sams. This was his tenth homerun this year, including eight in the regular season. Pioniers recorded nine basehits. Initially, Pirates was to play its first make-up game against Neptunus tonight, but that game was moved to Thursday, October 8 to make room for the game against Pioniers to keep that 3-game series intact. Coming Thursday, Pirates opens a 3-game make-up series against HCAW to decide which of these two teams will become the second finalist. On Monday-evening, Neptunus reached the Holland Series by winning against HCAW. As mentioned, tonight, a make-up game between the two teams was halted in the fourth inning due to rain and will be completed on Wednesday-evening. HCAW has an 1-0 lead in that game, but even when it wins, the head-to-head results are in favor of Neptunus, which had won the first two games. On Tuesday and Thursday next week, Amsterdam Pirates and Neptunus will play the final two make-up games to complete the Top-4 Pool. (September 29)

The first three innings went by scoreless. Amsterdam Pirates was retired in order in the second and third inning by lefthander Chris Pfau. The lefthander can look back to a fine season, but had some tough games in which he ended up with a no-decision, despite leading when he left the mound. With two outs in the first inning, Pfau gave up a single to Denzel Richardson and walked Kalian Sams, but then closed with his first strikeout of the evening. Hoofddorp Pioniers faced Juan Carlos Sulbaran, who made his first appearance in the Top-4 Pool, due to the postponements of five Pirates-games. In his first three innings, the righthander got four baserunners. With one out in the first inning, he gave up a single to Max Draijer, who moved into scoring position on an outfield-error, but then closed with a strikeout. With one out in the second, Sulbaran gave up a double to Nathan Berkel, but then struckout the next two batters. In the third, the righthander gave up a lead-off single to Daan Kuit, who then was caught stealing shortly thereafter. Sulbaran walked next batter Mark Smit, but he was eliminated in a double play after returning too late to first base after Duco Nuijten had flied out to centerfielder Kalian Sams. In the top of the fourth, Pirates rallied for three runs to break the scoreless tie. Denzel Richardson led off with a walk, advanced on a wild pitch, then scored when Kalian Sams followed with his second homerun in the Top-4 Pool and his tenth this season. With one out, Delano Selassa tripled and scored the next run on a following single by Rashid Gerard. Another single followed, hit by Max Clarijs, but Pirates then left two runners behind. In the fifth inning, the team was retired in order for the third time by Chris Pfau. Juan Carlos Sulbaran had an one-two-three inning in the bottom of the fourth, but then gave up two runs in the fifth. With Pirates leading 3-0, he gave up a lead-off single to Nathan Berkel, then an RBI-triple to Reangelo Willems, who scored on a following grounder by Jorrit Penseel to narrow the deficit to 3-2. After a flyout accounted for the second out, Mark Smit singled for Pioniers, but he was left behind on first base. Pirates got an opportunity to take some more distance in the top of the sixth. With one out, Delaso Selassa singled and moved on a grounder, then reached third base on a 2-out single by Max Clarijs. But with runners on first and third base, second baseman Duco Nuijten made a great catch on a line drive hit by Raydley Legito, which ended the at bat. After Pioniers was retired in order in its sixth at bat, Amsterdam Pirates scored two insurance runs in the seventh. With two outs, Denzel Richardson and Kalian Sams both singled, then moved on a wild pitch. The two runners scored when Kenny Berkenbosch followed with a single to increase the lead to 5-2. In its final two at bats, Pirates got into scoring position again, but was held scoreless by two relievers. With one out in the eighth, Sebastian Kok took over the Pioniers-pitching. With two outs, the lefthander got a baserunner on second base when a fly into the outfield by Raydley Legito was dropped. The runner moved on a single by Gilmer Lampe, but a force play ended the at bat. In the ninth, Yassir Lachkar threw for Pioniers. With two outs, he gave up singles to Kenny Berkenbosch and Delano Selassa (his third basehit) which gave Pirates runners on second and third base. A flyout then ended this scoring opportunity. With Pirates leading 5-2, Tom de Blok took over the pitching in the bottom of the seventh. He retired the side, striking out the first two batters. De Blok then again struckout the first two batters in the eighth, before giving up a single to Duco Nuijten. Hereafter, De Blok closed with his fifth strikeout in two innings. Mike Groen then pitched the ninth inning for Pirates. He got the bases loaded, but gave up no runs and was credited with a save. After beginning with a strikeout, Groen gave up a single to Victor Draijer. Another strikeout followed, but the righthander then got the bases loaded when Reangelo Willems doubled and Jorrit Penseel walked. This big scoring opportunity ended when Daan Kuit grounded out, which also ended the game. With that, Pioniers was eliminated for the Holland Series. The team shares second place with Pirates, but played its final game today. In case Pirates would lose its five make-up games, then both teams would be surpassed by HCAW, which has four games left.

Hoofddorp Pioniers - L&D Amsterdam Pirates 2-5 R H E L&D Amsterdam Pirates 000 300 200 - 5 13 1 Hoofddorp Pioniers 000 020 000 - 2 9 1 pitchers Pirates inn. SO BB H R ER Juan Carlos Sulbaran, W (1-0) 6 4 1 6 2 2 Tom de Blok, H (1) 2 5 - 1 - - Mike Groen, SV (1) 1 2 1 2 - - pitchers Pioniers inn. SO BB H R ER Chris Pfau, L (2-1) 7.1 4 2 10 5 5 Sebastian Kok 0.2 - - 1 - - Yassir Lachkar 1 1 - 2 - - Homerun: Pirates: Kalian Sams (2)(4th,2-run,0 outs,off Pfau). Box Score Play-by-Play Final Standings Season Standings Top-4 Pool Standings Bottom-4 Pool Scores Schedule Team Rosters Umpires: HP-Roy van de Wateringen, 1B-John Beltman, 3B-Edwin Louisa. Official Scorer-Brigitta Zaal. Play-by-Play Scorer-Stefan Slinger. Technical Commissioner-Fred van Groningen Schinkel. Public Address Announcer-Richard de Wolff (Amsterdam Pirates). Scoreboard Operator-(Amsterdam Pirates). Starting Time-7:30 PM. Time Played-2:46 hrs. Site-Loek Loevendie Ballpark, Sportpark 'Ookmeer', Amsterdam (site Amsterdam Pirates). Game Notes: Top-4 Pool. Official Scorer Brigitta Zaal was originally assigned as Play-by-Play Scorer for tonight's make-up game L&D Amsterdam Pirates vs. Curaçao Neptunus, but when that game was moved to October 8, she was re-assigned for this game. With tonight's loss, Hoofddorp Pioniers was eliminated for the Holland Series. Game moved earlier today to the home-site of Amsterdam Pirates in Amsterdam, as the home-site of Hoofddorp Pioniers in Hoofddorp had become unplayable due to rain. Tonight's game was the first that was played without spectators after new measures were announced against the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Game initially scheduled for Saturday, September 26, but then cancelled due to rain and field-conditions. Game then re-scheduled for Monday, September 28 in Hoofddorp, but then also cancelled due to rain and field-conditions. Game then re-scheduled for tonight in Hoofddorp, but moved to Amsterdam. Weather conditions at game time: Cloudy, 15,4° C (59,7° F); wind direction northwest; wind speed 6 kmh (3,7 mph); wind force 1 Bft; humidity 72%.

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