Eagles score late, knock off angry Lions
Tempers flared and benches empties, but cooler heads prevailed in Monday’s makeup game at Seibu Dome.
Luis Garcia’s jam shot floated to an open stretch of turf in left-center field to drive in the game-winning run in the ninth inning and the Rakuten Eagles claimed a 2-1 win in the night’s only action.
In a game that was well pitched and well played, Manabu Mima (2-1) tossed an eighth-inning fastball--the second in a row--a little too close for Jose Fernandez’s comfort, and the Dominican let the Eagles know about it. He took a few steps toward Mima, spewing words of anger as both benches emptied.
The Pacific League's last-place Eagles, though, weren’t interested in throwing down, instead they focused on getting their low win total up. Wanting no part of the steaming Fernandez, they walked him and went after Dee Brown.
But the second-year import, who has spent much of the season on the farm, knocked a single to right for his first RBI since day two of the season. It tied the score at 1-1 and the Lions were finally even after trailing all night.
Hsu Ming-chie (3-1), though, plunked Daisuke Kusano to open the ninth and Garcia made him pay with a two-out single.
Ryan Speier, who was part of five-run breakdown in Friday’s loss to Seibu, retired the side in order in the ninth for his eighth save as Rakuten earned a split of the four-game set.
Randy Ruiz knocked in the game’s first run with an RBI double in the first inning.
Righty starter Satoshi Nagai took a liner off his left forearm in the third inning but worked seven shutout innings for a no-decision.
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Tempers flared and benches empties, but cooler heads prevailed in Monday’s makeup game at Seibu Dome.
Luis Garcia’s jam shot floated to an open stretch of turf in left-center field to drive in the game-winning run in the ninth inning and the Rakuten Eagles claimed a 2-1 win in the night’s only action.
In a game that was well pitched and well played, Manabu Mima (2-1) tossed an eighth-inning fastball--the second in a row--a little too close for Jose Fernandez’s comfort, and the Dominican let the Eagles know about it. He took a few steps toward Mima, spewing words of anger as both benches emptied.
The Pacific League's last-place Eagles, though, weren’t interested in throwing down, instead they focused on getting their low win total up. Wanting no part of the steaming Fernandez, they walked him and went after Dee Brown.
But the second-year import, who has spent much of the season on the farm, knocked a single to right for his first RBI since day two of the season. It tied the score at 1-1 and the Lions were finally even after trailing all night.
Hsu Ming-chie (3-1), though, plunked Daisuke Kusano to open the ninth and Garcia made him pay with a two-out single.
Ryan Speier, who was part of five-run breakdown in Friday’s loss to Seibu, retired the side in order in the ninth for his eighth save as Rakuten earned a split of the four-game set.
Randy Ruiz knocked in the game’s first run with an RBI double in the first inning.
Righty starter Satoshi Nagai took a liner off his left forearm in the third inning but worked seven shutout innings for a no-decision.