9-inning games, 4 hours or longer
Time	Date	Game	Umpires
4:05	July 13, 1997	Sparta/F vs. Neptunus	Gerard Siep, Leo Spierenburg, Henri van Heijningen
4:04	May 6, 2006	HCAW vs. Pioniers	Edwin vd Berk, Henk Meerleveld, Marlo Remilia
4:02	April 19, 1999	Sparta/Feyenoord vs. HCAW	Ton Bodaan, Gijs Koppen, Leo Spierenburg
4:01	June 25, 1989	New Giants vs. Kinheim	Fred de Kramer, Bob Bergkamp
© 1997-2006 Marco Stoovelaar / Grand Slam * Stats & News

Besides playing the almost longest 9-inning game in history, there were more probable records, such as a combined 36 runs scored and 38 basehits, or the ten pitchers being used by both teams. A record-update will be added later.

HCAW was only two runs away of completing the game with a 10-run difference win, but when that didn't happen, Pioniers came back with a 6-run rally to make it only 16-14 and maybe even force extra innings. In the first four innings, only six runs were scored, in the last five innings, the two teams added 30 runs! A total of 106 batters came to bat in this game.
The first six batters in the HCAW line-up all scored at least once, had at least once hit and one RBI. Seven of the nine HCAW-starters scored at least twice! Sidney de Jong and Kenny Berkenbosch, the number four and five hitters, combined on nine RBI's, including six by Berkenbosch.
Pioniers outhit HCAW 21-17. Here the first four batters all had at least one run, one hit and one RBI. For Pioniers, six of its starters scored at least twice! For the Hoofddorp-team, Glenn Romney and Dè Flanegin, their number three and four hitters, combined on eight RBI's, including five by Flanegin, who hit a grand slam homerun in his 499th career game. Six Pioniers-players had at least three basehits!

HCAW opened the score in the second inning, then added three runs in the third inning when Kenny Berkenbosch hit a 2-out, 3-run homerun after Sidney de Jong was walked intentionally.
Pioniers came back with two runs in the fourth inning on an double play-grounder and a single by Mark-Jan Moorman. They then took a 5-4 lead in the fifth when (former HCAW-player) Glenn Romney hit a 3-run homerun with two outs.
HCAW answered with a 6-run rally in the home fifth. Martijn Meeuwis led off with a triple, then Bart Gabriëls walked. Sidney de Jong followed with a 2-run triple, which marked the end for starter Roger Kops, who was relieved by Venezuelan Erkly Hinojosa Viloria, who again wasn't successful in his second appearance of the season. The lefthander was greeted by a sac-fly by Kenny Berkenbosch, then gave up singles to Bas de Jong and Nick Fridsma, before being relieved by Tommy van Limburg. He loaded the bases with a walk for Rodney Michel, who played in his first game of the year, after having sitting out a suspension. After a strikeout, Ronald Jaarsma reached on an infield-hit, which was followed by a throwing error, resulting in three runs and a 10-5 lead for HCAW.
Pioniers narrowed that lead to 10-8 in the sixth. Jos de Jong started the inning in relief of starter Patrick de Lange, but lasted only four batters. He started with by hitting Mark-Jan Moorman, then gave up a single to Marcel Venema and then walked Lars Koehorst. A run was then scored when De Jong also hit Jefferson Muzo. Jurjen van Zijl was brought in, got two quick outs, one of them being an RBI-grounder, but then walked two batters to bring in another run.
HCAW again answered with a rally, this time scoring four runs. An RBI-double by Kenny Berkenbosch forced another pitching change, but new pitcher Daniël Overbeek then gave up a 2-run single to Bas de Jong, who later scored on a force play-grounder.

In the seventh inning, HCAW increased the lead to 16-8. Ronald Jaarsma led off with a walk, then Martijn Meeuwis (who was 4-for-6) singled and the bases were loaded when Bart Gabriëls also walked. Two runs were then scored on a sac-fly and a grounder, but a flyout ended the inning. As no 10-run difference was accomplished, the game continued.
Trailing 16-8, Pioniers also had a 6-run rally in the eighth inning to make it 16-14. In the inning 12 batters came to bat and only one was retired of the first nine. Michael Duursma led off with a double off Kevin Roovers, who had become the fourth HCAW-pitcher the inning before. After Mark Duursma walked, the bases were loaded when Glenn Romney singled. Next batter Dè Flanegin then watched from home plate how his batted ball dissappeared over the leftfield fence for a grand slam homerun. After Flanegin celebrated his homerun, next batter Glennsig Polonius got hit by a pitch, which got players from both teams starting to get on the field, but a brawl was avoided. Earlier in the game, there already had been some tension between the two teams. Polonius was replaced by pinch-runner Joris Djojokarso, who went on to score on a single by Jefferson Muzo. Marcel Venema scored the sixth run in the at bat on a basesloaded infield-hit by Mark Duursma.

Now leading only 16-14, HCAW again took more distance in the home eighth by scoring three runs. With runners on second and third after a wild pitch, Daniël Overbeek walked Ronald Jaarsma intentionally to load the bases. Overbeek was then relieved. Not by veteran closer Dave Draijer, as one might have expected, but by Theo Geerman, who is the Pitching Coach for Pioniers. He pitched in his last game almost four years ago, on May 30, 2002. And again, there is a coincidence. In that game, Geerman also took the mound while being a coach, as he was the Head Coach back then for RCH. In that game, the opponent was....HCAW. Geerman gave up an RBI-single to Martijn Meeuwis and an RBI-double to Bart Gabriëls, then accounted for the next run with a wild pitch.
But again, the game was far from over. In the ninth, Dè Flanegin led off with a double. With one out, three singles followed, including RBI-singles by Marcel Venema and Jaïr Roseburg, making it 19-16. Cliff Foster, who is the announced starting pitcher for tomorrow's game, then took over the pitching to become HCAW's fifth pitcher. He gave up an infield-hit to Jefferson Muzo, which was followed by a throwing error, enabling Venema to make it 19-17. But after a walk, the game finally ended when Mark Duursma grounded into a double play.
Despite the length of the game, everyone who watched this game must have enjoyed it, as it not only was wonderful, sunny weather, but a lot of things happened on the field.
(May 6)

Pirates again had problems with its pitching. In the second inning, starter Pim Walsma walked lead-off hitter Percy Isenia, then gave up a single to Maikel Benner. Walsma then struckout Kalian Sams, but loaded the bases by walking Harvey Monte. The rally was then set in motion when Remco Seitzinger singled, followed by a basesloaded walk for Shurty Tremus. A runscoring single by Jermaine Esprit followed with the bases remaining loaded every time. A force play-grounder by Berry van Driel might then have ended in a double play, but instead an error was made and two runs scored. Walsma was relieved by Robbert van der Pol, who saw the bases being re-loaded when Marvin Bleij singled. A walk and a sac-fly added two more runs to give ADO a 7-0 lead.

Pirates answered with two runs in the third inning, but never was able to come back in the game. In the third, the bases were loaded when Boudewijn van Elswijk, Remco Draijer and Bas Nooij all started with a basehit. A run was scored when ADO-starter Rob Cordemans walked Björn Henrichs, then another was scored on a double play-grounder.
ADO got both runs back in its third and fourth at bat on a grounder and an error. In the seventh inning, two more runs were scored on a single and a sac-fly to make it 11-2.
Pirates scored three runs in the eighth on a 2-out, 2-run double by Derick Francisca, who himself scored on a single by Kevin Gerard. Pirates' short stop Björn Henrichs threw the last 1 2/3 inning for his team.
(May 6)

Kinheim opened the score in the first inning. The team got its first three batters on base when Sparta/Feyenoord-starter Satoru Fujii walked lead-off hitter Danny Rombley, followed by singles by René Cremer and Dirk van 't Klooster. A sac-fly by Tjerk Smeets then made it 1-0, but the team stranded three runners.
Sparta/Feyenoord came alongside in the second inning. With one out, Jeffrey Sprott reached on an infield-hit, who advanced on a single by Jeroen Hermans and scored on a single by Orson Slaats. A double play ended the at bat and this would be the lone run for the Rotterdam-club, which again was unable to manufacture runs.
Kinheim, which would strand 15 runners in the game, re-took the lead in the sixth inning. After the first inning, Kinheim left seven runners behind, including three in the fourth inning. In the sixth inning, lead-off hitter Denny Beljaards reached when second baseman Dwayne Kemp misjudged his batted ball. Beljaards advanced on a sac-bunt and a single by René Cremer, who himself stole second base. With two outs, Tjerk Smeets singled through the middle to give Kinheim a 3-1 lead.

In the seventh inning, trailing only 3-1, Satoru Fujii was relieved by Rudy Seebus. The rookie-righthander had big problems with his control, used over 70 pitches and issued seven walks in less than two innings. It contributed in putting the game out of reach, as Kinheim scored eight runs.
In the seventh, Seebus walked Roel Koolen and Robin Longhurst, who both scored on a one-out triple by Denny Beljaards. In the eighth, Seebus again walked the first two batters, then gave up a pinch-hit, RBI-single to Quincy Bernardus. The bases were loaded by another walk. After a flyout, a force out at home followed, but the problems continued for Seebus, who walked the next two batters to load the bases again. An infield-hit by René Cremer, a hit by pitch for Dirk van 't Klooster and a single by Tjerk Smeets (who had four RBI's) added three more runs and made it 11-1.
(May 6)

...Johnny Balentina connects for Neptunus... (Photo: Ron Wicklert - www.eott.nl)

The game started well for Almere, which scored four runs in the second inning. The team already got its first two batters on base in the first inning, but then a grounder and two strikeouts followed. Neptunus-starter Diegomar Markwell opened the second inning by hitting Sidney Ensermo, then walked Ricky Daal. The two advanced on a sac-bunt by Jeffrey de Vrieze, followed by a flyout. Next, Eugene Kingsale hit a 2-run triple and scored himself moments later on a single by Randy Daal. An error after a pick-off attempt enabled Daal to reach second base and he went on to score on a single by Ivanon Coffie, who himself was thrown out at first base after he returned not in time when the throw came back from centerfield.
In the next six innings, no batter of Almere reached base, as Markwell retired 18 batters in a row. In the ninth, Jan Naterop succeeded him, gave up two singles and was supported with a double play.

In the home second, Neptunus scored its first run on the first error made by the Almere-defense. In the third, the Rotterdam-club scored four runs to take a 5-4 lead. With one out, Almere-starter Nick Veltkamp walked Yuji Nerei, followed by four errors, a wild pitch, stolen base, an infield-hit and a 2-run double by Jeroen Sluijter, that gave Neptunus its lead.
In the fifth inning, Neptunus again scored four runs, all unearned, just as in the second inning. This time, Veltkamp walked the first two batters, then was relieved by Martin Kuipers. A 2-base, runscoring error then was commited on a grounder, before the bases were loaded by another walk. With one out, a run was scored on a sac-fly by Benjamin Dille and another on a single by Raily Legito. Johnny Balentina, who had walked, scored the fourth run in this at bat in a double-steal situation.
(May 6)

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