Holland Series 2014: Game 6
vs 
It was a tough day for a fan of L&D Amsterdam Pirates. Leading in the best of seven series by 3 games to 2, the team from Amsterdam was one win shy of the title.
Today’s game started three and a half hours later because of a rain delay.
The game started well for L&D Amsterdam Pirates. In the third inning the team took a 2-0 lead when, with runners on first and second, Bas de Jong hit a bloop double to right field on which Rashid Gerard and MIchael Duursma scored. But in the bottom of the third, DOOR Neptunus cut the lead in half when they scored a run with two outs already.
In the fourth inning DOOR Neptunus turned the game around with four runs when they hit starter Kevin Heijstek hard (yes Kevin Heijstek, not Rob Cordemans as I predicted yesterday). Eventually Heijstek settled down and was pulled in the seventh, one out shy of getting out of the ininng. But when Reilly Legito doubled to left center field, manager Charles Urbanus pulled Heijstek in favour of Kyle Ward. Ward gave up one hit to the one batter he faced, Gianison Boekhoudt. Then Ward was replaced by Jurrian Koks who struck out Kalian Sams for the final out of the inning. In the top of the seventh, Amsterdam had cut the lead of Neptunus in half when Jesse Aussems scored from second base on a single by Roele Henrique.
In the eighth DOOR Neptunus went after an insurance run, but they would score a bit more than an insurance run. Again with two outs, an pitcher of L&D Amsterdam Pirates couldn’t get out of the inning. Jurrian Koks allowed runners on first and second when he was replaced by Daan Hendrix who eventually gave up three runs before Benjamin Dille, who drove them all in with a double was tagged out between third and second base for the final out of the inning.
Kevin Kelly retired the side in the top of the ninth for the win. This 8-3 win evened the series at three.
Orlando Yntema, who pitched instead of DIegomar Markwell (suspended four games after a bench clearing brawl in game two), pitched seven innings. He allowed three runs on six hits, walked one and fanned six.
Orlando Yntema pitched seven strong innings.
Kevin Kelly entered the game in the the eighth and cruised through the final two inings retiring all six batters he faced.
L&D Amsterdam Pirates’ manager Charles Urbanus sent four pitchers to the mound: Kevin Heijstek, Kyle Ward, Jurrian Koks and Daan Hendrix. These four combined for eight runs (of which only three earned) on ten hits. They walked two and struck out five.
Tomorrow both teams will meet again in Rotterdam for the decisive seventh game.