NETHERLANDS – L&D Amsterdam regained the top spot in the Dutch Major League with a three-game sweep against DOOR Neptunus last week. Neptunus (8-4-1), which entered the heavyweight matchup as the league’s top-ranked squad, dropped its first three-game set since 2003.

The Pirates (12-2) feature a high-octane offense that leads the league with a .335 batting average. The defending Dutch champion – which also tops the charts with 95 runs and 175 hits – boast three of the league’s top five hitters in Björn Henrichs (.425), Zaïr Koeiman (.417), and Sidney de Jong (.382).

Kenny Berkenbosch tallied four hits while both Fausto Álvarez Rizo and Wesley Connor added RBI doubles to spark Amsterdam to a 9-6 victory in the series opener this past Thursday.

The Pirates broke a scoreless deadlock in the fourth with a pair of runs before Lennart Koster and Jeroen Sluijter rapped back-to-back doubles an inning later to get Neptunus on the scoreboard. However, Connor stroked a two-run double in the bottom of the inning to make the score 4-1.

Neptunus pulled even in the sixth when Jeffrey Arends greeted relief pitcher Mark Kan with a three-run homer. But once again, Amsterdam responded in the bottom half of the frame on run-scoring singles by Berkenbosch and Pavèl van Zaane.

Speedy Eugène Kingsale tripled to start the seventh and Neptunus moved to within a run, 6-5, on Benjamin Dille’s RBI single. But the Pirates plated three more runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach and open the series on a winning note.

Australian Adam Blackley scattered two runs and five hits over six innings in Game Two on Saturday to help the Pirates beat Neptunus, 4-2. The left-hander improved his record to 3-0 this season and has racked up 37 strikeouts in 34 innings.

Amsterdam completed the three-game sweep on Sunday with a hard-fought 5-4 triumph. Van Zaane, who is hitting .340 (18-53), led the front-runner with three hits while Connor and Maikel Benner drove in two runs apiece.

The Konica Minolta Pioniers moved into second place with a sweep over winless MediaMonks RCH, while Mr. Cocker HCAW and ADO fought to a 4-4 draw in the first game before splitting the next two encounters.

Corendon Kinheim – which had lost three of its last four games – got back on the winning track and snapped Sparta/Feyenoord’s seven-game win streak with two victories after dropping the series opener last Thursday night.

HONOR ROLL

Rob Cordemans, Sparta/Feyenoord
Struck out 11 in eight innings to beat Corendon Kinheim 3-2 last Thursday night.

Jeffrey Arends, DOOR Neptunus
Cracked a three-run homer in 9-6 loss to L&D Amsterdam.

Kenny Berkenbosch, L&D Amsterdam
Collected four hits to help the Pirates move back into first place with win over Neptunus.

Andre Hughes, Mr. Cocker HCAW
Gave up one run over 6 1/3 innings in 3-1 win against ADO.

Aeden McQueary-Ennis, ADO
Was 3-for-4 with a double and a triple in a 4-4 tie against M. Cocker HCAW.

Ryan Murphy, Konica Minolta Pioniers
Went the distance and fanned seven in a 14-0 rout over MediaMonks RCH.

PITCHING LEADERS
3-0 – Kenny Berkenbosch, L&D Amsterdam
3-0 – Adam Blackley, L&D Amsterdam
3-0 – Rob Cordemans, Sparta/Feyenoord

HITTING LEADERS
.469 – Aeden McQueary, ADO
.425 – Björn Henrichs, L&D Amsterdam
.417 – Zaïr Koeiman, L&D Amsterdam
.400 – Danny Rombley, Kinheim
.382 – Sidney de Jong, L&D Amsterdam

STANDINGS

Photo courtesy of Henk Seppen/L&D Amsterdam Pirates

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Tags: Netherlands