After four scoreless innings, it was Twins Oosterhout that opened the score in the fifth inning.
Curaçao Neptunus came alongside immediately, but then had to wait until the eighth inning to decide the game against Twins, which proven to be a tough opponent this season.
Twins got on base first tonight off of starter Juan Carlos Sulbaran, who left the game early.
The righthander walked lead-off hitter Rayshelon Carolina in the top of the first inning, then got to a 2-1 count on next batter Mick Vos.
He then got a visit from both the Head Coach and the Physical Therapist and received some treatment to his back between his shoulder blades.
After the injury delay, Sulbaran continued.
He saw Vos flyout, then got an inning-ending double play.
However, the righthander didn't return to the mound in the top of the second inning.
Instead, he was relieved by veteran lefthander Diegomar Markwell, who this season is the Pitching Coach of Neptunus.
Tonight, Markwell made only his third appearance and his first since May 19.
...Diegomar Markwell...
...back on the mound for Neptunus...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
Markwell threw the next four innings for Neptunus.
He retired the side in the second inning, then gave up a 2-out single to Railison Bentura in the third inning, but he stranded on first base.
Twins then came close to the opening-run in the top of the fourth.
Lead-off hitter Mick Vos reached on an error and moved to third base on a double by next batter Tyriq Kemp.
Moments later, Vos tried to score from third base on a flyout to leftfield by Jason Halman.
However, Vos ended up short and was thrown out at the plate by leftfielder Jiandido Tromp to complete a double play.
But Twins then did score the first run in the fifth.
Urving Kemp led off with a single and Jarreau Martina followed with a bunt-single.
In an attempt to execute a double-steal, Kemp was eliminated at third base.
Martina advanced to second base, then scored on a 2-out single by Railison Bentura.
Twins-starter Koen Postelmans also kept his opponent scoreless in the first four innings.
The righthander gave up a lead-off single to Stijn van der Meer in the bottom of the first inning, but he stranded at first base, as one pop-fly and two flyouts followed.
In the second inning, Postelmans again gave up a lead-off single, this time hit by Dwayne Kemp.
He moved to third base following a grounder and flyout, but also was left behind.
Postelmans was supported with a double play in the third inning, but then gave up his third lead-off single in the fourth.
John Polonius singled, but again three flyouts followed and the runner remained on first base.
Trailing 1-0, Neptunus came alongside in the bottom of the fifth.
After giving up a lead-off double to Dashenko Ricardo, Postelmans struckout the next two batters, but then gave up a double to Stijn van der Meer, which made it an 1-1 score.
Both teams changed pitchers in the sixth.
For Neptunus, Brandon Herbold took the mound.
He walked a batter with two outs, but then struckout the side in the seventh.
For Twins, Japanese righthander Chikara Igami took over in the sixth.
He gave up an one-out single, then Jeffrey Levenstone became the new pitcher in the seventh and retired the side.
In the top of the eighth inning, Twins got into scoring position again.
Herbold walked lead-off hitter Railison Bentura, then gave up a 2-out single to Tyriq Kemp.
With runners at the corners, Misja Harcksen took over the pitching for Herbold, who had done fine and had struckout five batters in 2 2/3 inning.
Harcksen got an inning-ending grounder and became the winning pitcher moments later.
Twins also went to the bull-pen again in the bottom of the eighth and inserted Raf Cocu.
Neptunus then struck with a 4-run rally to turn the game its way.
Stijn van der Meer led off with a walk and scored when Jiandido Tromp followed with a triple.
Moments later, Tromp scored on a single by John Polonius.
With two outs, more basehits followed, as Christian Diaz delivered an RBI-double, then scored himself on a single by Dashenko Ricardo.
That was followed by another pitching-change, as Pastor Enrique Martínez Chevez took over.
He got an inning-ending grounder, but Neptunus now led 5-1.
In the top of the ninth, Misja Harcksen gave up an one-out single to Urving Kemp, but a grounder and flyout then ended the game.
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Neptunus decides opener vs. Twins Oosterhout with 8th inning rally
ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus opened its 3-game series against Twins Oosterhout on Thursday-evening (August 4) with a 5-1 victory.
Neptunus decided the game in the eighth inning when it broke an 1-1 tie with a 4-run rally.
The series continues on Saturday in Oosterhout, then closes on Sunday in Rotterdam.