Neptunus led 2-0 after four innings, but was unable to take more distance and led only 3-2 after six at bats.
The team then rallied for four runs in the seventh, which would be decisive.
Neptunus got a major contribution tonight from veteran outfielder Roger Bernadina, who was 3-for-3 (two doubles), scored a run and batted in three.
Neptunus opened the score with one run in the bottom of the first inning off of Twins-starter Koen Postelmans.
The righthander gave up four basehits in this at bat, but allowed only one run.
Stijn van der Meer led off with an infield-hit, but moments after reaching first base, he was picked off there by Postelmans.
Next batter Jiandido Tromp flied out, but then John Polonius singled, stole second base and scored on a following double by Roger Bernadina.
Junior Martina added a single, but with runners at the corners, the at bat ended when Dwayne Kemp grounded out.
After being retired in order in the second inning, the home-team added a run in the third at bat.
Again with two outs.
Again scored by John Polonius and again batted in on a double by Roger Bernadina.
A pop-fly and grounder accounted for two quick outs, then Polonius singled and Bernadina followed with his second double.
...Roger Bernadina...
...3-for-3 (2 doubles), run scored, 3 RBI's...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
Twins Oosterhout got its first runner in scoring position off of starter Juan Carlos Sulbaran in the top of the first inning.
Rayshelon Carolina led off with a walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Railison Bentura.
Next batter Mick Vos followed with a line drive, but that was caught by third baseman Stijn van der Meer and Sulbaran then closed by striking out Jason Halman.
Sulbaran retired the side in the next three innings, striking out two batters.
But the righthander then gave up a run in the top of the fifth.
After having retired twelve batters in a row, Sulbaran walked Shurman Marlin and gave up a single to Luuk Bun.
With two outs, Marlin scored on a single by Jarreau Martina, which also gave Twins runners on first and third base.
The inning ended when Sulbaran picked off Martina at first base.
Leading only 2-1, Neptunus added a run in the bottom of the fifth.
Again with two outs and again batted in by Roger Bernadina.
With one out, Stijn van der Meer walked, but he was forced out on a grounder by Jiandido Tromp.
He advanced on a passed ball, then John Polonius walked.
A wild pitch enabled Tromp and Polonius to move to the next base and the Bernadina followed with a runscoring infield-hit.
Again, Neptunus had runners on first and third base.
They were left behind, as a flyout ended the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Twins Oosterhout narrowed the deficit to 3-2.
With one out, Railison Bentura tripled, which led to a mound-visit from Neptunus Pitching Coach Diegomar Markwell.
Moments later, Bentura was eliminated at the plate when he tried to score on a grounder towards third base by next batter Mick Vos.
With two outs, the latter scored on a following double by Jason Halman.
That led to a pitching change.
Jayden Gonesh took over and got an inning-ending grounder.
After Neptunus was retired in order in the bottom of the sixth, Twins came close to the tying run in the top of the seventh.
With two outs, Diamond Silberie tripled.
But he was left behind on third base, as Jayden Gonesh closed with a strikeout.
Neptunus then staged a 4-run rally on five basehits in the bottom of the seventh to take a decisive lead.
Sheadion Jamanika led off with a single and Stijn van der Meer reached on a bunt-single.
Jiandido Tromp followed with a runscoring ground-rule double.
With runners on second and third base, Twins Head Coach Adonis Kemp made a pitching change.
He inserted Chikara Igami, but the Japanese righthander also ran into problems and three more runners went on to score.
First, Igami gave up a sacrifice fly to John Polonius, which brought in Van der Meer.
After he had walked Roger Bernadina, both Junior Martina and Dwayne Kemp delivered runscoring singles to lift the lead to 7-2.
That led to another pitching change.
Raf Cocu took the mound with runners at the corners.
He got a flyout and groundout, but Neptunus had taken a decisive lead.
Twins Oosterhout was unable to do something back this time.
In the top of the eighth, Jayden Gonesh retired the side and in the top of the ninth, Kevin Bakker did the same to end the game.
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Neptunus strikes late to win Play-Off opener against Twins Oosterhout
ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus decided the opener of the best-of-five Play-Offs against Twins Oosterhout in the seventh inning and went on to win 7-2 on Thursday-evening (August 18).
Tonight, HCAW opened the other Play-Off against Amsterdam Pirates with a 5-0 win in eleven innings.
Due to an error, all five runs were unearned.
Game 1 best-of-five Play-Offs Series 1.