(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Robert Bos)
 Twins-pitcher Wyatt Lankford just misses Perfect Game, but holds onto No-Hitter
Nederlands
 AMERSFOORT (Neth.) -
Wyatt Lankford came within one batter of throwing what would be the fifth Perfect Game in Dutch big league-history on Thursday-evening (June 20).
The righthanded American pitcher went the distance for Oosterhout Twins in an away-game against winless Quick Amersfoort.
Although he just missed a Perfect Game, Lankford held onto a No-Hitter in the 14-0 shutout, 8 inning, mercy-rule win.
...Wyatt Lankford...
...No-Hitter...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
Lankford, who is playing in his first season for Twins, as well as in the highest Dutch league, dominated from the beginning.
In his eight innings on the mound, he struckout seventeen hitters!
He struckout the first six batters he faced.
After getting a lead-off flyout in the bottom of the third inning, Lankford struckout the next two batters.
In the fourth, an attempt was made to reach base on a bunt, but it was Lankford who caught the ball, then added two more strikeouts.
In the fifth, he did it the other way around.
Lankford then began with two strikeouts and a flyout ended the at bat.
Two more strikeouts and a grounder followed in both the sixth and seventh.
In the meantime, Twins had scored three runs in the third inning and five more in the sixth.
But to end the game via the mercy-rule after seven innings, at least two more runs were needed.
As Twins led 8-0, the game continued.
In the top of the eighth, Twins rallied for six runs on five hits, but also three basesloaded walks.
Twins now led 14-0, which meant that the team now needed three outs to complete the Perfect Game.
In the bottom of the eighth, a flyout accounted for the first out.
Lankford followed with his 17th strikeout of the evening, meaning he was one out away from some baseball-history.
He then ran the count to 3-2 on Stefan Kuipers.
His next delivery was a foul-ball, but he then threw the ball outside the strikezone and walked Kuipers!
And that ended the Perfect Game!
Moments later, Kuipers was forced out on second base on a grounder.
And that ended the game.
With that, Lankford completed an 8-inning No-Hitter.
This is the second big league No-Hitter for Twins.
The first was thrown on June 26, 2018 by Elton Koeiman, which was a rain-shortened 7-inning, 4-0 win against DSS.
Since last season, Koeiman is the Head Coach of Quick Amersfoort, the opponent of tonight.
Lankford's No-Hitter was the first of this season.
Last year, there were two, including one against Quick Amersfoort.
Lankford's No-Hitter was the first No-Hitter longer than seven innings since Misja Harcksen threw a Perfect Game for Neptunus against Twins in 2019.
Harcksen now is one of the pitchers of Twins and is scheduled to start in the second game on Saturday.
Lankford's seventeen strikeouts are the most in a No-Hitter since Chris Pfau (Hoofddorp Pioniers) struckout thirteen in a 9-inning game in 2016.
By the way, Pfau also was the last foreign pitcher to throw a No-Hitter.
(June 20)
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