An unexpected close game today between the Heidenheim Heideköpfe and L&D Amsterdam Pirates. Pirates had to go deep but eventually came back from trailing 2-0 and won 4-2.
Kevin Heijstek wasn’t sharp today. Before he knew it Heidenheim had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning. In the six innings he lasted on the mound, Heijstek allowed 12 hits and struck out four. His opponent, Richard Hively, did a lot better in the first four innings in which L&D Amsterdam Pirates couldn’t get a grip on his pitches. But almost out of the blue in the fifth inning Pirates came alongside. With runners on the corners, Nick Urbanus homered to right field. It looked like it would be a double or a triple but the ball cleared the outfield wall to give Pirates a one-run lead.
In the seventh inning with runners in scoring position, Rodney Daal drew a walk on a wild pitch that allowed Nick Urbanus to score the fourth run for L&D Amsterdam Pirates.
The Heideköpfe outhit Pirates 14-10 but their base hits were to spread out so the team never really became dangerous after the first inning. After the sixth inning, Kevin Heijstek was replaced by Maickel Rietel who retired the side in the seventh and gave up a double and a single in the eighth but was bailed out thanks to an inning-ending double play.
Jim Ploeger pitched the final inning and retired the side for the save. Kevin Heijstek earned the win despite the fourteen hits he gave up.
Best hitters for L&D Amsterdam Pirates were Rashid Gerard and Remco Draijer as both went 2 for 4.
Notable feat: Linoy Croes made a helluva catch in right-center field when Shawn Larry drove the ball into the outfield but thanks to Croes’ big reach the ball ended in his glove for the final out of the fourth inning.
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