After taking an early lead in the first inning, Neptunus was unable to take more distance.
The team didn't decide the game until the seventh inning.
Neptunus opened the score with two outs in the top of the first inning off of Pirates-starter Nelmerson Angela.
With one out, the lefthander gave up a single to Jiandido Tromp, then walked John Polonius.
The latter was forced out on a grounder by Roger Bernadina.
That brought Tromp to third base and he then scored on a double down the leftfield-line by former pro Junior Martina.
With runners on second and third base, Angela ended the at bat by striking out Dwayne Kemp.
In the next five innings, Neptunus got only four more baserunners and only two of them got into scoring position.
In the second inning, Dashenko Ricardo doubled with one out, but stranded on second base.
In the third, with two outs, Roger Bernadina singled.
He was then forced out on a grounder by Junior Martina.
Neptunus was retired in order in the fourth and fifth inning.
John Polonius led off the sixth Neptunus-at bat with a single, stole second base and advanced to third base on a grounder, but also was left behind.
...Winning pitcher Kevin Kelly...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
For today's third game, Kaj Timmermans was initially announced as starting pitcher for Neptunus.
However, he took the mound for the Rotterdam-team in the third inning of the second game on Saturday to replace Aaron de Groot, who left the game with an injury.
So, for today, Neptunus Head Coach Raily Legito had to name another starting pitcher.
That choice fell to closer Kevin Kelly, who had started several games during his career.
With an early 1-0 lead, the righthander got a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the first when he walked Delano Selassa, who then advanced on a grounder, but was left behind.
Pirates came close to the tying run in the third inning.
Kenny Berkenbosch led off with a double and moved to third base via a sacrifice bunt by Emilson Haswell.
Two grounders followed and so, Berkenbosch stranded in third base.
The home-team got another runner in scoring position with one out in the fourth.
With one out, Sharlon Schoop walked and Sicnarf Loopstok was hit by a pitch.
But a pop-fly by next batter Roelie Henrique became an infield-fly, then Kevin Kelly ended the at bat by striking out Tommy van de Sanden.
The righthander then retired the side in the fifth (adding two strikeouts), but gave up the tying run in the sixth.
And that could have been more.
With one out, Kelly got the bases loaded when he walked Denzel Richardson and Sharlon Schoop, then saw Sicnarf Loopstok reach on an infield-hit on a 9-pitch, full count pitch.
Next batter Roelie Henrique opted to go for the first pitch he saw from Kelly.
He grounded out, but that moved to runners and so, Richardson scored the tying run.
The bases got loaded again when Tommy van de Sanden also walked.
Kelly ended the threat by striking out Kenny Berkenbosch.
After Pirates was unable to take the lead, Neptunus scored twice in the top of the seventh to re-take the lead.
With one out, Dashenko Ricardo homered.
Hereafter, Greg Muller reached on a bunt-single and scored on a 2-out double by Jiandido Tromp.
A pitching change followed and Jelle van der Lelie took over.
He got an inning-ending flyout.
Now trailing 3-1, Pirates got another scoring opportunity in the bottom of the seventh.
Rashid Gerard led off as pinch-hitter and was hit by a pitch.
With one out, he advanced when Delano Selassa walked.
A strikeout and force out followed.
In the top of the eighth, Neptunus took more distance by adding three runs.
Roger Bernadina and Junior Martina opened the at bat with singles.
A sacrifice bunt by Dwayne Kemp ended in a throwing error by catcher Sicnarf Loopstok, which enabled everyone to move two bases.
Bernadina scored, Martina ended up on third base and Kemp on second base.
Next batter Christian Diaz hit a comebacker to pitcher Jelle van der Lelie, which resulted in the longest rundown of the season.
Martina took off from third base, but he was eliminated in a 1-5-2-6-3-2-6 rundown.
But it also gave Neptunus runners again on second and third base.
Another force play-grounder followed, this hit by Dashenko Ricardo towards third baseman Rashid Gerard, who threw to the plate.
However, there were no outs this time, as Kemp scored.
When Van der Lelie's first pitch to next batter Greg Muller was outside the strike-zone, Pirates Head Coach Ronald Jaarsma came to the mound to make a pitching change.
Nicola Garbella took over and he got a force play-grounder from Muller.
Ricardo was forced out, but Diaz scored the third run in the inning to make it a 6-1 score.
Amsterdam Pirates got one run back in the bottom of the eighth off of new pitcher Kevin Bakker.
He took over from Kevin Kelly, who had thrown seven solid innings, striking out seven batters and giving up only two basehits.
With one out, Roelie Henrique singled.
With two outs, Kenny Berkenbosch hit the ball into deep rightfield down the foul-line.
Henrique ran to the plate, but Berkenbosch was eliminated at third base when he tried to stretch his hit into a triple.
This out ended the at bat, however, Henrique had crossed home plate in time before the third out was made, as was signaled by Home Plate Umpire Niek Elshof.
This was to be the final run for the home-team in this game.
With two outs in the ninth, Delano Selassa singled, but a flyout then ended the game.
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Neptunus wins Wild Card Top Series vs. Amsterdam Pirates
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus won 6-2 on Sunday (August 14) to win the best-of-three Wild Card Top Series against L&D Amsterdam Pirates.
On Thursday, Pirates opened the series with a 4-3 victory in eleven innings.
On Saturday, Neptunus won 8-4 to force a third game.
Today, Neptunus decided the game late.
The team took an 1-0 lead in the first inning, but then was kept scoreless and Pirates came alongside in the sixth.
Neptunus then scored five runs in the seventh and eighth inning combined.
Game 3 best-of-three Wild Card Top Series.