Dutch hoofdklasse 2018: Round 14, day 2

Curaçao Neptunus  5  –  4  L&D Amsterdam Pirates
Curaçao Neptunus clinched its fifth narrow win in as many games vs L&D Amsterdam Pirates. An early 2-0 lead in the first inning for Neptunus was cut in half in the bottom of the second inning. But in the top of the third, Neptunus extended their lead with two more runs. Thanks to singles by Linoy Croes and Rodney Daal, a triple by Max Clarijs and a single by Niels van Weert, L&D Amsterdam Pirates tied the game at four. But once again Neptunus proved to be the better team as it pushed for a run in the fifth inning when Dwayne Kemp doubled to left field and drove in Darryl Collins for the game-winning run.
Orlando Yntema threw just enough innings for the win. In five frames he gave up four runs on eight hits as he struck out three. Loek van Mil pitched one inning for the save. 
Kevin Heijstek took the loss after seven innings of work in which he gave up five runs on eight hits and struck out four.
Best hitter for Neptunus was Stijn van der Meer with two hits out of three at-bats and two runs scored.

DSS  3  –  5  Silicon Storks
As written in the interlude, Silicon Storks pulled off a stunt vs DSS. With the loss of De Glaskoning Twins, last Thursday, DSS was sitting pretty but today the pressure apparently was too much for the team.
Storks took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning that was cut in half in the top of the third inning by DSS. In the top of the sixth inning, DSS tied the game at two. But this time, Storks remained calm and scored thrice in the bottom of that same inning. Three doubles by Jurriaan Dijk, Joost van den Bergh and Sergio Schoop and three singles by Gino Gil, Runai Coran and Philip Brandl drove in three runs for Silicon Storks. The one run that DSS scored in the seventh inning didn’t bother Storks anymore as Gijs Timmer shut the door in the final 1.1 innings in which he stayed perfect for the save. Martin Kram earned the win as he lasted six innings in which he gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits.
He walked as many as he struck out: three.
Best hitter for Silicon Storks was Sergio Schoop, who went 3 for 4 with three doubles, two RB and a run scored.

Meerlease Pioniers  0  –  2  HCAW
In this game in which the runs and hits did not come cheap, HCAW stayed at the right  side of the score. Starting pitcher Kaj Timmermans limited Meerlease Pioniers to two hits and struck out four for the win.
The two runs HCAW scored came in the fifth and seventh inning. In the fifth inning, Roland Laurens could score from second base on a single to right field, hit by Roelie Henrique. After a double steal in the seventh inning, Jeandro Tromp scored on a wild pitch. After Timo van Ancum kept Pioniers from scoring in the eighth, Dennis Burgersdijk closed out the game with a perfect ninth.
Best hitter for HCAW was Jeandro Tromp as he went 1 for 1 and scored once.

De Glaskoning Twins  10  –  2  Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort
After Thursday’s night loss vs Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort, things looked gloomy for De Glaskoning Twins. Nevertheless, the team got its act together and beat up Quick Amersfoort today.
After Quick Amersfoort had taken a 1-0 lead in the fourth, Twins turned the tables in the sixth inning. Back-to-back doubles by Ruar Verkerk and Shurman Marlin tied the game at one. Four consecutive singles then drove in two more and sac flies by Brian Biezen and Jarreau Martina drove in two more runs to give Twins a five-run lead. Quick Amersfoort scored another run in the bottom of the sixth, but that didn’t bother the team from Oosterhout. In the eighth, Twins scored four more times. The eighth run was scored in a rather special way. With Ruar Verkerk at first and Dennis de Quint at second, Verkerk stole second and Dennis de Quint stole home plate.
Starting pitcher Shogo Nakashima, who was bothered by back pains lately pitched a fantastic game again. In eight innings he surrendered two runs on five hits and two walks and struck out three for the win. Brian van Laar, who pitched five innings and faced two batters in the sixth, took the loss.
Best hitter for De Glaskoning Twins was Ruar Verker who went 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored.

Thanks to this win and the loss of DSS in The Hague, the battle for fourth place is completely open again.

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