European Cup best of three: Game 2 in Rotterdam

After the 5-3 loss in Bologna last Thursday, it was a must win game for Curacao Neptunus.

The game would be a real nail biter. After two innings both team had not scored but in the bottom of the third, Shaldimar Daantji scored the opening run for Neptunus.  After he doubled down the left field line, he advanced to third on a ground out by Urving Kemp. A sac fly to center field hit by Urving’s brother Dwayne drove in Daantji.

Neptunus could not enjoy the lead for long. In the top of the fourth inning, Claudio Liverziani drew a lead off walk. When Cesar Suarez laid down a bunt, pitcher Diegomar Markwell fielded the ball and fired it towards first base, but first baseman Rien Vernooij wasn’t able to catch the ball because he was blinded by the low sun. The ball sailed past first base and Liverziani was able to score the game tying run.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Neptunus took a 2-1 lead as Christian Diaz doubled down the left field line and advanced on a 4-3 ground out hit by Stijn van der Meer. A wild pitch by Raoul Rivera allowed Diaz to score the go-ahead run.

But once again Fortitudo Bologna would tie the game in the next inning. Paolino Ambrosino drew a lead off walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Marco Sabbatini. According to manager Evert-Jan ‘t Hoen it was time to replace Diegomar Markwell. Loek van Mil entered the game and struggled at times as he kept his pitches too low in the strike zone.
The very first pitch that Van Mil served up was hit into left field and allowed Ambrosino to score the game tier again.

This time Neptunus would answer immediately. Urving Kemp led off the eighth inning with a walk. After Dwayne Kemp and Benjamin Dille both flew out, Raily Legito singled to right field and put Kemp into scoring position. Then GIanison Boekhoudt drove the ball towards second baseman Alessandro Vaglio, who committed a throwing error on which Kemp could score all the way from second for the 3-2 lead. Loek van Mil gave up a single to Sambucci with one out but then retired the side for the win. In 1.2 innings he gave up three hits, one walk and fanned two. Raul Rivero took the loss. In 7.2 innings he gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked three and struck out four.
Fortitudo Bologna collected six hits and committed one error while Neptunus only got four basehits and also committed an error.

Then a final note on the fans of Fortitudo Bologna. I have never seen fans that were so unsportsmanlike as them. Every call that the umpires made against them was greeted with boos and nagging. As soon as a Dutch pitcher started his windup, they started to blow whistles. Very annoying to put it mildly.

Here are some pics of the game:

National Anthems

Fortitudo Bologna dugout

Neptunus takes the field

Diegomar Markwell took the mound for Curacao Neptunus

High fives after the game

Loek van Mil (center), who has signed a contract with the Twins organization

Final score