Storks broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning by scoring three runs, but Sparks Haarlem answered with a 5-run rally.
The home-team took more distance by again scoring five runs in the seventh.
Trailing 12-5, the suspense in the slow-paced game returned when Storks rallied for four runs in the top of the eighth.
But that was to be it and Sparks hold onto the lead.
Storks had a very remarkable line-up today, as all six regular pitchers on the team's roster were in the starting line-up!
The last five batters in the batting order all were pitchers.
David van Heyningen batted fifth and was the leftfielder, Mike van den Berg batted sixth and was the second baseman, Obed Hernandez batted seventh and was the catcher (!), Johannes Verroen Garcia batted eighth and was the first baseman and Darryl Jamoena batted ninth and was the designated hitter.
Twan Naessens was the starting pitcher and did not hit himself initially.
Besides that, there were also two other players in the line-up, who frequently take the mound as reliever.
That were short stop Kelvin Knape and centerfielder Kevin van Veen.
The latter also threw today and at that moment, Naessens entered the batting order replacing Jamoena and became the new rightfielder.
Combined, they reached base eleven times, produced four basehits and scored four runs.
It was Storks that opened the score with one run in the top of the second inning off of starter Rutger Zwaal.
The righthander hit lead-off hitter Sigmar Eustacia with a pitch and got runners on first and third base when he gave up an one-out single to Mike van den Berg.
The latter moved to second base via a passed ball.
A baserunning-mistake followed, as Van den Berg got into a rundown between second and third on a comeback-grounder to the pitcher by Obed Hernandez, which kept Eustacia at third base.
Moments later, Eustacia scored while Hernandez was caught stealing.
...Jerry Zonneveld (left) & Jesse van de Berg...
...both hit 3-run HR and scored 2 runs...
(© Photos: Robert Bos) |
Sparks Haarlem came alongside in its second at bat off of Twan Naessens.
With two outs, Joffrey Heus walked, moved on a single by Jerry Zonneveld and went on to score on an error.
Sparks added a run in the third.
With one out, Jesse van de Berg walked and stole second base.
He then advanced on a single by Wessel Pirovano and scored on a following single by Ruben Hoek.
The last two executed a double steal, but they stranded on second and third base.
This time, it was Storks that tied the score in the top of the fourth, which also had a rare moment.
With one out, Kevin van Veen reached on an error and scored the tying run when next batter Sigmar Eustacia delivered a double.
But he was called out shortly thereafter.
When the ball was thrown to second base and was on the ground there, Eustacia picked up what still was a 'life ball' and handed it to the second baseman.
However, this is not allowed and is considered part of the interference-rule.
With two outs David van Heyningen walked, but he stranded on first base.
In the top of the fifth, Storks broke the 2-2 tie by scoring three runs.
With one out, Johannes Verroen Garcia and Darryl Jamoena both singled, then the bases got loaded when Raibiently Mercalina walked.
All went on to score without the assistance of a basehit.
Verroen scored when Kelvin Knape walked, Jamoena scored when Kevin van Veen was hit by a pitch and Mercalina scored on a grounder by Sigmar Eustacia.
That made it a 5-2 score.
The lead was shortlived, as Sparks Haarlem answered with a 5-run rally with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
After two grounders had accounted for the first two outs, Sparks got the bases loaded thanks to Ruben Hoek (walk), Duko Jansen (walk) and Mitchel Dautzenberg (single).
That also led to a pitching change.
Centerfielder Kevin van Veen took the mound for Storks, but he was greeted with a 2-run single by Joffrey Heus, which was followed by a 3-run homerun by Jerry Zonneveld.
Storks got another scoring opportunity in the top of the sixth
Mike van den Berg led off with a walk and Obed Hernandez was hit by a pitch.
The two moved on a sacrifice bunt by Johannes Verroen Garcia, but then were left behind.
Sparks Haarlem took more distance in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five unearned runs.
With one out, Mitchel Dautzenberg reached second base on a throwing error.
After having stolen third base, he scored on a grounder by Joffrey Heus.
The home-team then got runners on first and third base when Jerry Zonneveld and Yasar Guntekin both singled.
Another error then followed on a force play-grounder by Siebe van Pelt.
That enabled Zonneveld to score and Guntekin to advance to third base.
With still two runners on base, Jesse van de Berg hit a 3-run homerun that lifted the lead to 12-5.
In the top of the eighth inning, Storks narrowed the 12-5 deficit to 12-9 by scoring four runs with two outs off of reliever Menno Soederhuijzen.
Again, Van den Berg and Hernandez reached base, this time respectively on a single and a walk.
With two outs, Raibiently Mercalina and Kelvin Knape delivered runscoring singles.
They went on to score on a following triple by Kevin van Veen.
That led to the next pitching change at the side of Sparks Haarlem.
Utility player Kevin Nieveld took the mound and got an inning-ending flyout.
In the top of the ninth, Nieveld began with a strikeout, but then walked Mike van den Berg and Obed Hernandez, who both reached base four times today.
Veteran Duko Jansen then took over the pitching for Sparks Haarlem after having been the short stop until now.
The righthander struckout the next two batters to end the game and earn a save.
In the opener on Thursday, Jansen threw a complete 7-inning game.
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Pilot-Pool: Sparks Haarlem wins at home against Storks
HAARLEM (Neth.) -
Sparks Haarlem recorded its second victory in the Major League/First Division Pilot-Pool by winning 12-9 at home against Silicon Storks on Saturday-afternoon (September 3).
On Thursday, it was Storks that opened the series with a 5-3 score.
In the other two series in this Pool, the teams also played their second game.
Major League/First Division Pilot-Pool.