In which we win a series

Tigers finally won something other than the usual consolation game. Even though it was a two game series against the Swallows it was very, very welcome. Messenger in the first game wasn't too bad and in fact handled the Swallows batters efficiently but needed the help of the Swallows bullpen to come away with the win. Swallows had taken a one run lead and held it all the way to the eighth. Haraguchi batting as a pinch hitter started the ball rolling driving in Ogata. Then a Fukudome grounder brought home a run and finally Takayama singled giving Tigers three runs in the innings. Tigers won the game 3-1.

The first game being played in Nagano the second was at Mejii Jingu and Iwazaki started the game for Tigers. He proved unable to hold the lead and despite Tigers taking a 2-0 lead Swallows were able to pull one back and then equalize the score. Fukudome shone in this game hitting a solo home run in the fifth and then driving in two runs in the eleventh to take the score to 4-2. Tigers held on to the lead and went into the All-Star break pretty happy. They had been in sixth before this series started and switched places with the Swallows to stay in fifth. The rest of the season will only get harder though.