NETHERLANDS – DOOR Neptunus extended their winning streak to 15 games with three shutout wins over ADO last week to remain 1 1/2 games ahead of the L&D Amsterdam Pirates in the Dutch Major League.

Neptunus (23-6-1) opened the series with a 4-0 win last Thursday behind a strong outing by Diegomar Markwell. The left-hander scattered three hits and two walks over seven innings with five strikeouts to improve his record to 7-1 with a 1.88 ERA.

Kevin Heijstek (7-3) blanked ADO on four hits and Neptunus scored five runs in the seventh to claim a 10-0 win in the second game on Saturday. The league front-runner capped a dominant three-game series sweep with a 11-0 win in Sunday’s finale.

Eugène Kingsale went 3-for-5 with a double, triple and two RBIs, while Raily Legito also tallied three hits for Neptunus to raise his batting average to .387.

Dushan Ruzic (5-1) worked five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts to notch the win and lower his ERA to 0.72.

SPARTA/FEYENOORD CONTINUE KONICA MINOLTA WOES

The Konica Minolta Pioniers opened the series with a convincing 6-0 win against Sparta/Feyenoord last Thursday to snap a three-game losing skid. 2008 Holland Series MVP Ryan Murphy (8-1) allowed a walk and five hits in eight scoreless innings to get the win and lower his ERA to 0.66.

Sparta/Feyenoord bounced back on Saturday to even the series as Rob Cordemans and reliever Herman Gaarman combined to shutout the Pioniers the final seven innings in a 5-2 win in 11 innings on Saturday.

Infielders Rutger Veugelers and Percy Isenia had two hits apiece, and a pair of errors allowed
Dimitri Leon and Rubinet Koko to cross the plate in extra-innings. Rodney Michel drove in Nick Eppinga with an RBI single to cap the game-winning rally.

Gaarman (4-1) worked three scoreless relief innings allowing two hits and four walks to earn the win.

Gregory Gustina’s RBI fielder’s choice in the 11th inning on Sunday wrapped up the series win with a 6-5 victory. Roy Beems allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings to get the win, while Robin van Doornspeek was dealt his second loss in as many days for the Pioniers.

Citing a lack of team chemistry, Konica Minolta skipper Frank Koene and assistant coach Peter Barentsen both turned in their resignations on Tuesday effective immediately. Assistant coach Theo Geerman was named interim manager by the club.

The reeling Pioniers (18-11-1) have lost five of their last six games.

MEDIAMONKS RCH SURPRISES MR. COCKER HCAW

MediaMonks RCH continued their recent surge with a pair of wins against Mr. Cocker HCAW last weekend. However, the three-game set did not begin well for RCH.

Kevin Miner (3-5) tossed seven dominant innings in the series opener as HCAW rolled to an easy 10-1 blowout win.

RCH capitalized on a pair of late defensive miscues by HCAW to claim a 3-2 win in 10 innings in the second meeting last Saturday. Closer Dave Draijer registered the final four outs to notch a rare win.

The MediaMonks wrapped up their first series win of the year with an 8-3 victory on Sunday.

Floris Morang and Giovanni Valmont went a combined 7-for-10 with two RBIs and four runs scored.

Chris Mowday (2-5) allowed one run in eight innings to get the win and lower his ERA to 2.69, while Kevin Roovers (0-6) was pinned with the loss.

STANDINGS

Photo courtesy of Henk Seppen/L&D Amsterdam Pirates

Tags: Netherlands