July 20th Kanemura v Yoshimi - Dragons just cling on

Tigers were invigorating in this match even though they were defeated. Seemingly out of it they produced a comeback which must call into question the use of Iwase as a closer at the Olympics. Maybe he is just having a bad season but he was shaky in the Asian qualifiers as well. One hopes that he is not fading and that he will be able to continue. Kubo (pitching coach) had spoken how he liked Kanemura's start in the top team but that he needed to step up a level. I don't think he quite expected him to step down two levels - he gave up four home runs which is not an acceptable performance. Line scores

        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Tigers  0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 6 14 1
Dragons 0 2 3 0 2 0 0 0 X 7  8 0

Starting lineups

1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Sekimoto (Third)
6. Katsuragi (First)
7. Ford (Right)
8. Noguchi (Catcher)
9. Kanemura (Pitcher)

Dragons
1. Araki (Second)
2. Ibata (Short)
3. Morino (Right)
4. Woods (First)
5. Wada (Left)
6. Nakamura (Third)
7. Koike (Centre)
8. Tanishige (Catcher)
9. Yoshimi (Pitcher)

Tigers first started with Yoshimi getting everyone to ground out. Kanemura got the first batter Araki but then Ibata had a three base hit. In what would prove to be his only competent innings, Kanemura kept Ibata on third while he dismissed the next two batters. In Tigers second Katsuragi hit but nothing came of this. Kanemura's game started to unravel in the Dragons second. Wada took a swing at a pitch which flew along the third baseline and hit the foul pole - home run 1-0 Dragons. This unsettled Kanemura who then walked Nakamura. Koike hammered out a two base hit - runners on second and third with no outs. Tanishige walked to load the bases and it looked like Tigers were in deep trouble. Yoshimi grounded out to second but an error by Hirano allowed the runner on third home 2-0 Dragons, no outs. Araki grounded out and then Ibata grounded into a double play and the innings ended. The Dragons had let the Tigers off rather lightly given the circumstances. Never mind Kanemura would find a way to compensate them. Tigers fell in order in their third. In Dragons third Morino walked. Woods hit and Dragons had runners on first and third with no outs. Morino advanced to third on a Wada flyout and then Nakamura came to the plate. He hit along the right baseline and the ball just stayed in for a three run home run 5-0 Dragons. The next two outs fell easily but Dragons had a commanding lead. Tigers were able to hit back in the fourth. Hirano hit then Kanemoto and Sekimoto walked to load the bases with one out (Toritani). Next batter Katsuragi hit driving two runs home 5-2 Dragons runners on first and third. Yoshimi was knocked out of the game and Nakata made his appearance. He was quite assured and got the final two outs.

The Dragons fourth saw the side out in order, likewise Tigers fifth. The Dragons fifth was a reversion to type. Kanemura gave up back to back home runs, firstly to Woods 6-2 Dragons and then to Wada again 7-2 Dragons. In Tigers sixth Toritani hit but nothing came of it and the innings ended scoreless. Abe replaced Kanemura in the sixth. Kanemura had thrown 94 pitches and given up 6 earned runs on seven hits. Abe was better - he did give up a hit to Araki but nothing came of this. In Tigers seventh Nakata gave up hits to Noguchi and Akahoshi but no one made home and the margin remained. Abe pitched the Dragons seventh and retired the side in order - a very nice piece of pitching and one which shows his improvement. Tigers eighth started with a Toritani leadoff hit but nothing came of it. Dragons eighth was pitched by Ishikawa who had no difficulties retiring the side in order.

Tigers ninth and Nakata ran into trouble. Ford hit and then Noguchi (in an example of wrong headedness) flew out in foul ground. Baldris hit and then Akahoshi hit to load the bases. Exit Nakata, for a side behind Tigers were remarkably successful in knocking the Dragons pitchers out of the game. First Yoshimi and then Nakata, the replacement pitcher was Iwase. He didn't start well. Takahashi (pinch hitter) hit - a run scored 7-3 Dragons. He was pinch run for by Fujimoto and the bases were still loaded. Toritani was next and hit to left driving in two runs 7-5 Dragons. Then Kanemoto and he hit to right 7-6 Dragons. Sekimoto flew out and then Yano hit - bases loaded. Here the runner should have gone for home but was held up by Wada. Ford was the next batter and he hurried his shot pulling it to left and into the glove of Morino (replacement third - Nakamura had moved to first) who stepped on third base to get the final out. Dragons victory.

Tigers had almost snatched an unlikely victory and had shown considerable spirit. Dragons had snapped their six game losing streak against Tigers but only just. Iwase had failed in the first game of the series and nearly failed in the third. Tigers could be satisfied with the performance at Nagoya, taking the series and almost humiliating the Dragons. What was more important was that they showed they could beat their great rivals without Arai.

Too bad Ford couldn't have been the hero. It could have helped to reverse an awful season for him, especially in clutch situations. Still, I see this as a good sign for the Tigers. Even down by 5 against Iwase they never stoppped fighting.

Ironically Ford has been dropped to the farm team as Tigers have called Kanoh up.