(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
    Hits for Kieboom, Hold for Jansen in Major League Spring Training
Nederlands
      CLEARWATER / FORT MYERS / WEST PALM BEACH, Florida / PEORIA / PHOENIX / SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (USA) -
On Monday through Wednesday (March 8-10), six players with a Dutch passport came into action in the Major League Spring Training-season.
These players were Sherten Apostel (Texas Rangers), Didi Gregorius (Philadelphia Phillies), Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers), Carter Kieboom, (Washinhgton Nationals), Chadwick Tromp (San Francisco Giants and Zander Wiel (Minnesota Twins).
Kieboom and Jansen were the most successful.
Kieboom started at third base for Washington on Monday in a 9-5 win against New York Mets in an 8½ inning game in West Palm Beach.
In this game, he was 1-for-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kieboom singled in a run, then also scored himself.
He was then replaced in the seventh inning.
On Tuesday, Kieboom also was the starting third baseman and again was 1-for-3 in a game against Houston Astros, which ended in a 4-4 tie in a 9-inning game in West Palm Beach.
In this game, Kieboom left the game in the bottom of the sixth.
On Wednesday, Kenley Jansen had another fine outing in relief for Los Angeles.
This time, he threw the fourth inning in a 3-2 victory in an 8-inning game against Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
Jansen took the mound with the Dodgers leading 2-1.
As the rules for winning pitchers are different in exhibition games, Jansen entered the game in a save-situation.
In exhibition games and All Star Games, starting pitchers can become the winning pitcher without throwing the required five complete innings, which is the rule in the regular season.
This is because in these games, pitchers are either throwing on a pitch-count or a limited amount of innings.
In Wednesday's game, starter Clayton Kershaw threw the first three innings and was the pitcher-of-record when Jansen took over.
Jansen began with two strikeouts, then gave up a single to Josh VanMeter, but he was eliminated at second base when he tried to stretch his hit into a double.
As the lead of Los Angeles remained intact, Jansen was credited with his second Hold of the Spring-season.
However, Arizona came alongside in the fifth off of Blake Treinen, who therefore was charged with a Blown Save.
Los Angeles went on to win 3-2 on a run scored in the bottom of the eighth on a double by Rangel Ravelo.
Although this was an 8-inning game, this was not a walk-off double, as the complete eighth inning was played.
Also on Wednesday, Didi Gregorius was the starting short stop for Philadelphia in a 6-4 win in an 8½ inning game against Detroit Tigers in Clearwater.
Gregorius was 0-for-3 and left the game after five innings.
The other three players were inserted later in a game.
Chadwick Tromp entered Monday's game of San Francisco in Scottsdale against Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning as new catcher.
Tromp batted 0-for-2 (one strikeout) in this 9-inning game which ended with a 2-2 tie.
On Wednesday, also in Scottsdale, Tromp also was inserted in the sixth inning as new catcher.
This time, he walked in his lone plate appearance.
San Francisco won this 8½ inning game against Chicago Cubs with a 7-6 score.
On Tuesday, in Fort Myers, Zander Wiel was one of two pinch-runners inserted by Minnesota in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Wiel replaced Miguel Sano after he had hit a double with one out.
On Sano's double, pinch-runner Drew Maggi scored what would be the lone run in the game.
Wiel was left behind as the next two batters struckout.
Minnesota won this 7-inning game against Baltimore Orioles with 1-0.
On Wednesday, Sherten Apostel played at first base for Texas since the fifth inning.
In Peoria, Texas won this 7-inning game against Seattle Mariners with a 17-5 score on 18 basehits.
Apostel flied out in his lone at bat.
(March 10)
Related Articles:
 Zander Wiel plays in first game in MLB Spring Training. (March 7)
Profar and Tromp successful in MLB Spring Training. (March 6)
Singles for Apostel, Albies & Gregorius in MLB Spring Training. (March 5)
Albies homers; Run & RBI for Gregorius in MLB Spring Training. (March 3)
Strong first outing Kenley Jansen in MLB Spring Training. (March 1)
Tromp, Apostel first Dutch players in action in Spring Training. (February 28)
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