Sparks Haarlem scored early and led 2-0 halfway the third inning, but Storks then came alongside.
The visiting team re-took the lead in the fifth.
Storks came back again, scored three runs in the sixth and then kept Sparks scoreless in the remainder of the game.
Sparks had some bad luck in the eighth inning, as it got the bases loaded with no outs, but no runs were scored.
Sparks opened the score in the top of the second inning off of starter Darryl Jamoena, who had retired the side in the first at bat.
In the second inning, Kevin Nieveld (who was the catcher) led off with a walk and moved into scoring position via a wild pitch.
Jerry Zonneveld then also walked and another wild pitch led to runners on second and third base.
A following grounder by Arno Guntekin brought in Nieveld and put Sparks ahead, 1-0.
The Haarlem-team added another run in the top of the third.
Wessel Pirovano led off with a bunt-single, stole second base and scored on an one-out single by Ruben Hoek.
He moved into scoring position when a balk was called, then advanced to third base on a grounder by Joffrey Heus, but was left behind.
...Jurian Hansen...
...single, double, 2 RBI's,...
...1 run scored, 2 stolen bases...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
Storks faced Duco Jansen, who made his first pitching-appearance for Sparks in this Pool.
The veteran righthander also retired the side in the first inning, then got one baserunner in the second.
But in the bottom of the third inning, he gave up two runs.
Jansen walked lead-off hitter Khirstan Gibbs, who went on to score on an one-out double by Jurian Hansen.
Jansen followed with a strikeout, but then gave up a runscoring single to Kevin van Veen, which tied the score.
Moments later, Storks got the bases loaded when Edvin Yrausquin also singled and Ruben Scheurkogel walked.
The three runners were left behind, as Jansen closed with a strikeout.
Sparks Haarlem re-took the lead in the top of the fifth inning.
Like in the third inning, Wessel Pirovano led off with a single and stole second base.
He advanced to third base on a grounder by Michel Dautzenberg, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Ruben Hoek to put ahead Sparks, 3-2.
Storks left a runner behind of first base in both the fourth and fifth inning, but then scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth when the Sparks-defense made two errors.
Kelvin Knape led off with a single, then Curtis Duinkerk reached on an error.
A throwing error on a following sacrifice bunt by Khirstan Gibbs enabled Knape to score the tying run and moved Duinkerk to third base.
Hereafter, Duco Jansen struckout his sixth batter, which would have been the third out.
But now, there was only one out with runners at the corners.
When Gibbs took off to steal second base, Duinkerk scored the go-ahead run.
Shortly hereafter, Gibbs also scored when Jurian Hansen delivered a single.
Hansen went on to steal both second and third base, but was left behind.
However, the 5-3 lead proved to be enough for the team from The Hague.
Storks also got scoring opportunities in the seventh and eighth inning.
In the seventh, Edvin Yrausquin led off with a double, but stranded on second base, as the at bat ended with a double play.
In the eighth, Khirstan Gibbs led off with an infield-hit, stole second and third base.
But he was eliminated at the plate trying to score on a grounder by Jurian Hansen, who later was caught stealing at third base, which ended the at bat.
After having scored its third run in the fifth inning, Sparks was retired in order by Darryl Jamoena in the sixth.
In the seventh inning, the righthander walked lead-off hitter Yasar Guntekin, but he was forced out at second base on a hit into rightfield by next batter Calvin Semeleer.
With Storks leading 5-3, Obed Hernandez took over the pitching in the top of the eighth.
But he immediately got the bases loaded, as he walked Ruben Hoek, Joffrey Heus and Kevin Nieveld.
Another pitching change followed and Johannes Verroen Garcia took over.
But with the bases loaded, no outs and trailing two runs, Sparks Haarlem was unable to do some scoring.
Pinch-hitter Guido Schoonderbeek (who was added from the second team) then hit a line drive into rightfield.
When the ball would have dropped, it would surely have bring in at least two runs, maybe all three runners.
But Storks-rightfielder Quinten Rigters made a great diving catch, then also got the ball in time to catcher Khirstan Gibbs to eliminate Hoek at the plate and complete a double play.
With two outs, Nieveld was forced out at second base on a grounder by Arno Guntekin, which ended this big scoring opportunity for Sparks Haarlem.
In the top of the ninth inning, Verroen got three grounders to retire the side and secure the win.
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Pilot-Pool: Storks comes back twice to win opener vs. Sparks Haarlem
HAARLEM (Neth.) -
Silicon Storks opened its 3-game series against Sparks Haarlem on Thursday-evening (September 1) with a small 5-3 victory.
As Storks has no light-installation at its home-site in The Hague, the game was played in the Pim Mulier Stadion in Haarlem, which is the home of DSS/Kinheim.
There also is no light-installation on the site Sparks Haarlem, which plays close to the historic stadium.
Tonight, two other series in this Pool also opened.
Major League/First Division Pilot-Pool.