Dutch hoofdklasse 2018: Most games rained out today.

In both the playoff group and the relegation group the games were bothered by bad weather. As a result, only one game was played. Curaçao Neptunus hosted L&D Amsterdam Pirates in what was quite a lopsided game.

L&D Amsterdam Pirates  10  –  3  Curaçao Neptunus
In a series with nothing more at stake than home field advantage in the upcoming Holland Series, Rob Cordemans pitched five no-hit innings in which he only gave up two walks and struck out six. Robin Schel continued the good work in the sixth inning as he pitched a perfect inning in which he struck out one. Eventually, in the seventh inning, Dwayne Kemp spoiled the combined no-hit bid with a single to right-center field.

In the meantime, L&D Amsterdam Pirates had taken a commanding lead. It opened the score in the third inning. Max Clarijs led off with a double down the left field line, followed by Victor and Remco Draijer who both singled to drive in Clarijs for the opening run. Victor and Remco Draijer advanced into scoring position on a sac bunt laid down by Niels van Weert. On a sac fly hit by Nick Urbanus, Victor Draijer scored Pirates’ second run. A double by Linoy Croes made Remco Draijer cross home plate for the third run of the inning.

A leadoff homer by Rodney Daal in the fourth inning and a double by Niels van Weert and a single by Nick Urbanus in the seventh inning, made Pirates score two more runs.
But Pirates’ offense didn’t slow down after that 5-0 lead. In the eighth inning, a walk by Rodney Daal, singles by Max Clarijs and Remco Draijer, a double by Victor Draijer and a sac fly by Niels van Weert drove in three extra runs. After Kevin Kelly, who returned from Italy after A.S.D. Rimini was eliminated in the Italian playoffs, was replaced by Taylor Clemensia, things seemed to settle down. But after he loaded the bases, Clemensia was replaced by Jiorgeny Casimiri who recorded the final out of the inning.
In the ninth Pirates added two more runs to their total to reach the double digits.

Instead of letting Robin Schel pitch the ninth inning, he had only thrown twenty-five pitches, Pirates’ manager Charles Urbanus came with a predictable move that backfired immediately as he sent Maickel Rietel to the mound. Rietel who got into trouble last Sunday vs De Glaskoning Twins, gave up three singles and a double and gave up three runs without recording an out so he was replaced by Jim Ploeger who recorded three consecutive outs to end the game.

After last week’s 13-0 humiliation vs HCAW in which he had to surrender eight earned runs, Diegomar Markwell was hit hard again as he gave up four earned runs for tonight’s loss. Rob Cordemans earned the win.

Best hitter for L&D Amsterdam Pirates was Rodney Daal who went 2 for 3 with a double, a home run, an RBI and two runs scored.

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