In the more-or-less lopsided game, HCAW led 7-0 halfway the eighth inning.
Amsterdam Pirates was unable to do some scoring before that.
However, in the eighth, the powerful home-team came back and even had a chance to turn the game around, but was limited to three runs.
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...In the 1st inning, Pirates-leftfielder Kenny Berkenbosch...
...ends up just short catching the hit by Jeandro Tromp...
...The ball hits the foul-line (you can see the dust) and...
...Tromp hits a triple, then tries to run a homerun, but is...
...tagged out at the plate by catcher Rashid Gerard, as watched...
...by HP Umpire Jeffrey Bentsnijder and Kevin Dirksen...
(© Photos: (Alfred Cop Fotografie) |
HCAW attempted to open the score in the top of the first inning off of Amsterdam-starter Scott Prins.
The righthander struckout the first two batters he faced, but thereafter, Jeandro Tromp hit the ball down the leftfield-line.
The ball ended up just in fair territory on or besides the foul-line and 3B Umpire John Beltman, who had a clear view, immediately gave the fair-signal, despite some reactions that the ball might have landed in foul territory.
Tromp raced to third base, then was waved home in an attempt to record an inside-the-park-homerun.
But that proved to be too much, as Tromp was eliminated at the plate on a throw from leftfielder Kenny Berkenbosch to short stop Delano Selassa to catcher Rashid Gerard.
And that ended the at bat.
HCAW didn't get into scoring position in the next two at bats, but then scored two unearned runs in the fourth when the Pirates-defense committed two errors.
Jeandro Tromp (who reached base five times, two hits, three walks) led off with a single.
With one out, Quintin de Cuba reached on an error, which brought Tromp to third base.
Next, HCAW got the bases loaded when Max Draijer walked.
With two outs, Tromp and De Cuba scored when Jair van Borkulo's grounder ended in a throwing error.
HCAW added three runs in the top of the sixth off of new pitcher Nicola Garbella.
The Italian righthander was greeted with back-to-back triples by Quintin de Cuba and Max Draijer, then Bob van der Meer followed with a runscoring single.
With two outs, the latter scored on a single by Victor Draijer and that lifted the lead to 5-0.
HCAW took more distance in the top of the eighth inning when it added two runs off of reliever Martin Kram.
He gave up a lead-off double to Jair van Borkulo.
A close call at third base followed when Van Borkulo advanced on a grounder to short by Nathan Berkel, but everyone was safe.
Both runners scored when Victor Draijer followed with a double.
Amsterdam Pirates was unable to get into scoring position in the first four innings off of starter Dennis Burgersdijk.
In those four at bats, only three batters reached base off of the righthander (two singles, one hit batter).
In the bottom of the fifth, the home-team got its first runner in scoring position.
Kenny Berkenbosch led off with a single and moved on a grounder.
With two outs, Roelie Henrique walked.
The two runners executed a double-steal, but stranded as Burgersdijk closed with a strikeout.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, with HCAW leading 5-0, Burgersdijk was relieved.
In several outings, Burgersdijk stayed in the game, despite throwing more than 100 pitches.
In his previous four starts, Burgersdijk threw seven innings or longer.
On June 26, against Neptunus, he threw 103 pitches in seven innings, a week later (July 2), he threw 119 in 8 2/3 inning against Pirates.
Thereafter, the season was interrupted for the Baseball Week Haarlem.
After the season resumed again, Burgersdijk threw a complete 9-inning game on July 24 against Twins Oosterhout (118 pitches).
Last week, he threw all twelve (!) innings against Neptunus, needing 114 pitches.
Today, Burgersdijk was relieved after having thrown 'only' 89 pitches.
Ruben Dekker took over and retired the side.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, now facing new pitcher Bobbie Gnade, Pirates scored three runs and that easily could have led to a rally that turned the game around.
But that didn't happen.
With one out, Pirates got the bases loaded via Rachid Engelhardt (single), Delano Selassa (single) and Denzel Richardson (walk).
Next batter Sicnarf Loopstok drove the ball into deep leftfield and barely missed a grand slam homerun.
The ball ended up on the fence in leftfield for a 2-run double.
After Kalian Sams had popped out with runners on second and third base, Kenny Berkenbosch followed with a runscoring single.
The inning then ended when Luca Pastor (who had just entered as new catcher) hit a force play-grounder on the first pitch he saw from Gnade.
With that what could have become a productive at bat, ended.
Pirates got two more baserunners in the bottom of the ninth off of new pitcher Arjen Nijkamp.
With one out, Lucas Vos walked and with two outs, Delano Selassa reached on an infield-hit, but a foul-fly then ended the inning and the game.
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HCAW wins vs. Amsterdam Pirates, but finishes third in Top-4 Pool
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
HCAW recorded a 7-3 win against L&D Amsterdam Pirates in the second game of their series on Saturday (August 6), but nevertheless, the team ended up emtpy-handed.
However, HCAW-starter Dennis Burgersdijk won his tenth game and will be the lone 10-game winner this season.
By winning on Thursday, Pirates became the first team to secure a spot in both the Wild Card Top Series (August 11-14), as well as the Play-Offs (August 18-28).
The team also qualified for participation in next years tournament for the European Champions Cup.
HCAW finishes in third place in the Top-4 Pool.