 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) - Amsterdam Pirates, which this season will play under the name L&D Amsterdam, opened its exhibition season with a big 12-1 victory against MediaMonks RCH, for whom it also was its first game of the season. Initially, the game was scheduled to be played at the site of RCH in Heemstede, but that field is not available yet, so the game was moved to Amsterdam. The home team collected 16 basehits, including five homeruns, two each by Wesley Connor and Sidney de Jong (who both had four RBI's), one by newcomer Maikel Benner. Connor, De Jong and Bas de Jong had three basehits each.
After two scoreless innings, Pirates opened the score with a 4-run rally in the third at bat.
RCH's rookie starter Rick Pluijmers, who is coming from First Divisionist Alcmaria Victrix, walked lead-off batter Remco Draijer, then gave up a 2-run homerun to Wesley Connor. The latter ended his professional career in the organization of the Minnesota Twins late last season, then played already for the Amsterdam-squad during the Play-Offs. This year, he will be available the entire season.
With one out, Sidney de Jong doubled, which marked the end for Pluijmers, who was relieved by Joran Klarenbeek, another player who last year played for Alcmaria Victrix, which also saw infielder Michael Pluijmers go to the team from Heemstede.
Klarenbeek was greeted with an RBI-triple by Derrick Francisca, who returned to the capital after having played one season for Instant Holland Almere '90, which last season relegated.
Francisca then scored himself when Bas de Jong reached on a throwing error.
Three runs were added in the next at bat when the second homerun in the game was hit.
Wesley Connor led off with a single, then an error on a pop-up by Maikel Benner resulted in two baserunners.
Next, Sidney de Jong homered to make it 7-0.
Later in the inning, Amsterdam left three runners behind.
RCH, which this year is led by Robert Klaver as its new Head Coach, scored its lone run in the fifth inning.
Pirate-starter Pim Walsma retired the first six batters he saw and gave up a lead-off single to Lex Leijenaar in the third, threw three scoreless innings.
Kenny Berkenbosch took over in the fourth, gave up a 2-out double to Michel Croes, then saw RCH score its run in the fifth.
With one out, Lex Leijenaar reached on an infield-hit, then scored on a 2-out double by Cuban Hector Iglesias Gomez, before Berkenbosch retired the next four batters in order.
Nick Stuifbergen completed the game and threw the final two innings of this 8-inning match-up, giving up no basehits.
In the home of the fifth, Amsterdam got the run back immediately when Wesley Connor walked and scored on a 2-out double by Bas de Jong.
In the same situation, Derrick Francisca, who had moved Connor to third with a single, also tried to score on the double, but was thrown out at the plate by centerfielder Lex Leijenaar.
Another run was scored in the seventh inning when Maikel Benner, who last season played for ADO, led off with a homerun.
In the eighth, two more homeruns resulted in three more runs.
Björn Henrichs, who hit the ball hard today, led off with a single, then Wesley Connor hit his second homerun of the game with one out.
With two outs, Sidney de Jong also belted his second fourbagger to make it 12-1, resulting in the first win of the Amsterdam-squad under guidance of new Head Coach Rikkert Faneyte.
(March 15)
Box Score
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