NETHERLANDS – The L&D Amsterdam Pirates opened their title defense this past weekend with an impressive two-game sweep over Corendon Kinheim in a rematch of last year’s Holland Series. The reigning Dutch champion cruised to a blowout victory in the season opener on Saturday, and rallied in the final inning on Sunday to steal an exciting comeback win.

Australian starter Adam Blackley (1-0) tossed a three-hit shutout in his Dutch Major League debut to lead the Pirates to an 11-0 triumph in the season opening ballgame. Second baseman Zaïr Koeiman ignited a six-run third with a leadoff home run off Kinheim ace David Bergman (0-1) in a contest stopped after seven innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Kinheim raced out to a 3-0 advantage in a see-saw battle in the series finale on Sunday before L&D Amsterdam plate four scores in the fourth on a pair of two-run singles by Wesley Connor and Fausto Álvarez Rizo. However, a two-run throwing error helped the visitors reclaim a one-run lead an inning later.

The Pirates knotted the score on Björn Henrichs’ RBI single in the bottom of the fifth before Kinheim outfielder Danny Rombley took over. The 2007 Dutch batting champion put the Haarlem squad in front with a solo blast in the sixth, and added a two-run double the following inning to make the score 8-5. But it would prove to be not enough as the home team mounted a furious ninth-inning rally.

Kinheim closer Michiel van Kampen walked Rizo to open the inning, and surrendered a pair of singles to Bas de Jong and Vince Rooi to load the bases. Pavèl van Zaane, who had a two-run double a day earlier, delivered another two-run hit to make it a one-run game. L&D Amsterdam pulled even on an RBI single by Henrichs, and capped the thrilling comeback win on Sidney de Jong’s game-winning hit.

Pim Walsma (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen to earn the win.

DOOR NEPTUNUS SILENCES ADO
Raily Legito had four hits and DOOR Neptunus exploded for 16 hits in a 10-1 win against ADO on Sunday to complete the weekend sweep. The Rotterdam squad broke a scoreless deadlock with a run in the eighth Saturday en route to a 4-0 victory at The Hague.

Legito went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, while newcomer Matt McGraw was 3-for-4 with four RBIs for Neptunus.

Kevin Heijstek (1-0) fanned five and allowed four hits in five shutout innings to register the win.

KONICA MINOLTA PIONIERS TOP SPARTA/FEYENOORD
Tjerk Hogervorst collected four hits and the Konica Minolta Pioniers overcame 16 stranded runners to beat Sparta/Feyenoord 10-1 Sunday at Hoofddorp to complete the season-opening sweep. The Pioniers capitalized on a pair of eighth-inning errors to edge Sparta/Feyenoord, 4-3, in Saturday’s season opener.

Jefferson Muzo and Mark Duursma, who had four walks, both reached base five times fo Konica Minolta. Muzo also swiped four bases while 2008 Holland Series MVP Ryan Murphy went 3-for-6 with a double and an RBI.

Konica Minolta starter Roger Kops (1-0) scattered three hits over seven innings to pick up the win.

MR.COCKER HCAW SWEEP MEDIAMONKS RCH
Australian Jason Rees scored three times and drove in two runs, and Quensley Bazoer had four RBIs as Mr. Cocker HCAW remained unbeaten with an 8-1 victory against MediaMonks RCH Sunday at Heemstede.

Kevin Miner (1-0) allowed a run and five hits in six innings to get the win, while Forstin Coenraad tossed three innings of one-hit ball to record the save.

Rees and Bazoer opened the season Saturday with a combined three triples and a homer, and German southpaw Andre Hughes (1-0) registered eight strikeouts in a 7-1 HCAW win.

Photo by Hank Seppen – L&D Amsterdam Pirates website

Tags: Netherlands