In the second game of the Holland Series, Kevin Heijstek was vastly dominant as he went the distance for L&D Amsterdam Pirates and secured the 7-0 win for the team from the Dutch capital.
L&D Amsterdam Pirates took an early lead in the first inning. With runners on the corners, Kalian Sams hit into a force out at second base that allowed Remco Draijer to
score the opening run. After Kenny Berkenbosch put runners in scoring position when he doubled to left field, Linoy Croes singled to center field and allowed Sams and Berkenbosch to score the second and third run.
One inning later, Pirates repeated this tour de force as three consecutive walks loaded the bases and Gilmer Lampe cleared the bases with a double to left center field. Pitcher Orlando Yntema, who left for home last Thursday as he felt ill, was replaced early in the game by Brendan Schoemaker. Pirates loaded the bases again but failed to extend the score as Schoemaker got out of the inning without any further damage.
In the next two innings, Schoemaker got into trouble again as he loaded the bases in each of those two frames but every time he managed to pitch out of the jam, preventing Pirates to score more runs and keeping Curaçao Neptunus in the game.
After five innings of work in which he limited Pirates to only two hits, Brendan Schoemaker was replaced by Ber van Driel in the seventh inning as the latter kept the Amsterdam lineup in check as well. In the eighth inning, Van Driel was replaced by Taylor Clemensia. Pirates threatened with runners on the corners and thanks to a sac fly to center field hit by Rashid Gerard, Kalian Sams could score Pirates’ seventh run.
After eight innings in which he threw 108 pitches, one would expect Kevin Heijstek would be replaced by manager Charles Urbanus. Normally in regular season games, Urbanus is following the script of using a starting pitcher for six or seven innings, then bring his setup man in the eighth inning and finish the game with his closer. But not this time. Urbanus let
Heijstek throw a complete game shutout. In nine innings, Heijstek allowed only three hits, walked one and struck out four. He got all the help of his flawless defense.
Rashid Gerard was the best hitter for L&D Amsterdam Pirates as he went 2 for 4 with a run batted in. The most impact had Gilmer Lampe who drove in three runs with his sole hit of the game, a double to left center field.
Tomorrow, game three will be played in Rotterdam. The game will start at 14:00 (2 PM). 
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