by Peter Laanen from San Francisco
Even though AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, was only filled for a third, the vibes were good. Especially when Holland took the lead in the first inning without a hit! Supporters, clad in orange, were looking on with pride and joy!
Soon it became obvious that it would be a low scoring game, hits were sparse. However, enthusiastic supporters scanting “Holland, Holland” and a very supportive Consul General Bart van Bolhuis, waving the Dutch flag, kept the Dutch in the game till the 5th inning.
Bart’s wife Thessy, loyal by his side, also strongly believed in a good result for her Dutchies. And then we encountered the 5th inning, the inning that became our “Waterloo”. In my opinion Markwell should have been yanked when facing fading slugger Miguel Tejada. Lefty on righty while we had a righty ready in the bullpen. In the end of the day 4 runs scored; game over and disbelief on the faces of the Dutch supporters.
The game ended there and then, even though there were 4 innings left. With a total of 4 squandered hits there is no way one can get away with a win against a star loaded Dominic Republic team. Overseeing the entire tournament, one can only walk away with pride and joy when it comes to the results of the Dutch national team and the coaching staff led by Hensley Meulens and Robert Eenhoorn. Not to forget Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven, Holland’s famed pitching coach. And the supporters? They were happy in the end of the day and showed that till the wee hours in our own Holland House at Zeke’s.
Dutch DJ Marc van Brabant got them loose with Dutch hits like kedenk-kedeng and thus it ended like it began; like a fairy tale!
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