...Jason Halman retires after this season...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Before today's game, Twins Oosterhout honored catcher Jason Halman, who has announced his retirement.
Halman joined the Oosterhout-team before the 2019 season
In his first season with the team, Halman led in batting average (.305), runs scored (24), basehits (50), runs batted in (27) and doubles (17).
The catcher immediately developed into a valuable team-leader both on and off the field.
Neptunus opened the score in the top of the first inning, but it was Halman who then batted in the tying run moments later.
Twins scored twice in its first at bat, Neptunus came alongside in the third, but it then took until the seventh before the Rotterdam-team could re-take the lead.
In eight of the nine innings, Neptunus got its lead-off hitter on base.
In the top of the first inning, Stijn van der Meer led off with a single off Twins-starter Ryan Huntington.
On a 3-1 pitch to next batter Jiandido Tromp, he took off to steal second base.
However, on the pitch (which was called a strike), Tromp stepped in front of catcher Jason Halman, while he came up to make the throw to second base.
Tromp was ruled out for batter's interference and Van der Meer had to to return to first base.
Moments later, Van der Meer advanced three bases and he didn't need to steal one.
With an 0-1 count on next batter John Polonius, Huntington attempted a pick-off at first base, but the ball sailed over first baseman Shurman Marlin.
Van der Meer advanced to both second and third and when Marlin made a corresponding throwing error towards third base, he was able to score the first run.
Two costly errors, as Polonius struckout and next batter Roger Bernadina grounded out.
Twins immediately erased the early deficit and an error also contributed to the scoring of the home-team.
With one out, Mick Vos and Arthur Bonevacia both singled off of starter Kaj Timmermans.
Hereafter, Jason Halman also delivered a single that enabled Vos to score the tying run.
But when rightfielder Roger Bernadina made a fielding error following the basehit, Bonevacia and Halman ended on third and second base.
For Bernadina, this was only his fourth game in rightfield, as he has been the centerfielder of the team in the majority of the season.
One pitch later, Bonevacia scored on a grounder by Shurman Marlin to put Twins ahead, 2-1.
Bernadina would erase his error two innings later with his bat.
In the second inning, Neptunus got its lead-off hitter on base again when Junior Marina singled, but he was caught stealing.
With two outs, the team got two baserunners, but they were left behind.
In the top of the third, Neptunus came alongside after getting its opening-hitter on base for the third time.
Stijn van der Meer led off with a walk, moved on a grounder by Jiandido Tromp and scored the tying run on a 2-out double by Roger Bernadina, who stranded on second base.
Although Neptunus came into scoring position in the next three innings, the team was kept scoreless.
In the fourth, Dwayne Kemp led off with a double and moved to third base on an infield-hit by Christian Diaz.
But the latter was caught stealing and Kemp was left behind on third base when Ryan Huntington struckout the next two batters.
...Stijn van der Meer...
...3 runs, 2 hits, double, walk...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the fifth, John Polonius singled with two outs and stole second base, but was left behind.
In the sixth, Junior Martina became the fifth lead-off hitter of Neptunus to reach base when he reached on an infield-hit.
He moved to second base on a grounder, but again Huntington struckout two batters.
In the meantime, Twins was kept scoreless in the remainder of the game.
After having given up two runs in the first inning, Kaj Timmermans added some strong innings and would not allow another runner to get into scoring position, being supported by his defense.
He retired the side in the second inning, then gave up a 2-out single to Arthur Bonevacia.
But he then tried to stretch his hit into a double and was eliminated at second base.
In the fourth and seventh inning, the righthander got one baserunner, but both were forced out at second base.
Timmermans also retired the side in the fifth and sixth inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, Neptunus got the bases loaded with one out, re-took the lead, but failed to take some more distance.
Stijn van der Meer reached base for the third time as lead-off hitter, this time with a double.
Next batter Jiandido Tromp was hit by a pitch, then the bases got loaded when Roger Bernadina walked with one out.
With three runners on base, Pastor Enrique Martínez Chevez took over the pitching for Twins.
However, he walked Junior Martina and so, Van der Meer scored his third run.
The inning ended when next batter Dwayne Kemp grounded into a double play, but Neptunus led 3-2.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Misja Harcksen took over the pitching for Neptunus.
This time, it was Twins that got a scoring opportunity.
Diamond Silberie led off with a single and moved on a grounder.
But Harcksen then retired the next two batters.
In the top of the ninth, Neptunus added an insurance run.
Jiandido Tromp and John Polonius began with singles, then the first advanced to third base when Roger Bernadina flied out.
With runners at the corners, next batter Junior Martina came to a 2-0 count.
Polonius then took off to second base on the (high) third pitch to Martina and came into a rundown between first and second base.
While attempting to return to second base, first baseman Shurman Marlin reached towards Polonius with the ball.
A safe call by 1B Umpire Edson Louisa followed and immediately all Twins-infielders reacted.
A talk between Home Plate Umpire Edwin Louisa and his colleague (who is his cousin) followed and it was then ruled that Polonius was tagged on his leg and so, he was caught stealing.
In the meantime, Tromp was still standing on third base.
After Neptunus Head Coach Raily Legito had gotten an explanation of the ruling, the game continued, but now with two outs and a 3-0 count on Martina.
It was decided to walk Martina intentionally to create a force play.
However, that didn't come, as next batter Dwayne Kemp underscored that he remains a valuable hitter with runners on base, as he delivered a runscoring single, which enabled Tromp to score an insurance run.
That made it a 4-2 score.
In the bottom of the ninth, Misja Harcksen walked Shurman Marlin with one out.
His pinch-runner Jarreau Martina was forced out on a grounder by Urving Kemp.
Moments later, Harcksen closed the game with a strikeout and earned a save.
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Neptunus wins second Play-Off game vs. Twins Oosterhout with small score
OOSTERHOUT (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus took a 2-0 lead in its best-of-five Play-Off against Twins Oosterhout on Saturday (August 20), but did it with a small 4-2 win.
On Thursday, the Rotterdam-team opened with a 7-2 victory.
Neptunus can complete a sweep at home on Sunday to become the first team to advance to the Holland Series.
The winners of the Play-Offs will advance to the best-of-seven Holland Series, which opens on September 8.
Before the game, Twins Oosterhout honors catcher Jason Halman, who is retiring after the season.