Baseball
	European Championships 2005

Compiled and Copyright © 1997-2005 by Marco Stoovelaar

Dutch win big vs. Russia
Nederlands | Box Score | Play-by-Play
CHOCEN (Czech Republic) - The Dutch team also won its third game by defeating Russia 11-1 on Sunday-evening on Day 4 of the European Championships. While rain was predicted for the whole country, it became clear that Czech weathermen also can make mistakes, because it didn't rain during the day and even the sun shined a little. All scheduled games for Sunday could be played, but the games in the evening were played in rain.
In the game between the Dutch and Russia, it started to rain in the first inning and that kept on almost the entire game with only brief dry moments. Sometimes, it started raining heavier, but despite that, the game could be completed without delays.

Dutch starter Patrick Beljaars gave up only three basehits in the six-plus innings he pitched. After retiring the first six batters he faced, he walked the Russian lead-off hitter in the third, but then retired the next three. In the fourth, he lost his No-Hitter and ShutOut, as Artemiy Artamonov led off with a homerun, but Beljaards wouldn't give up more runs or more scoring opportunities. At the time Artamonov hit his homerun, the Dutch already were leading 4-0. Beljaards, who was supported with a double play in the fifth inning, was relieved in the seventh after giving up a slow infield-hit towards third base to lead-off hitter Andrey Kripochin. Robin van Doornspeek took over and struck out all three batters he faced to complete the 10-run mercy rule game.

The Dutch team scored its first runs in the first inning. Michael Duursma, who again played at second base, led off with a single, followed by a single from Dirk van 't Klooster, who was forced out on a grounder by Raily Legito. Moments later, Duursma scored on a wild pitch and Legito stole second. After two walks, Legito scored on a sac-fly by Harvey Monte.
In the second, the third run was scored when Danny Rombley, who was the starting leftfielder tonight, singled and went on to score on an error, but in this at bat, the Dutch left three runners behind.
After a pitching change, the Dutch team added a run in the third inning. Harvey Monte led off with a single and scored when Evert-Jan 't Hoen grounded into a double play. 't Hoen tonight again played at first base, just as he did yesterday. Percy Isenia, who played at first in the opening game, again was the DH.
In the fourth inning, three runs were scored with two outs. Raily Legito (infield-hit, stolen base) scored on a 2-out double by Sidney de Jong, who later scored himself on a double by Harvey Monte. Next, Percy Isenia reached on an infield-hit behind second base and when both the second baseman and short stop were unable to field the ball and were on the ground, Monte raced through to the plate and scored.

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Dutch team reached the 10-run difference with a 4-run rally in the sixth. Ivanon Coffie led off with a homerun, his second in two days. Sidney de Jong then scored on another double by Harvey Monte and after Evert-Jan 't Hoen was hit by a pitch with one out, Danny Rombley contributed with a 2-run double to make it 11-1.
(July 10)