Hawks top Fighters in freaky fashion series
As hard to watch as the SoftBank-Nippon Ham three-game series in Sapporo was for fans, it was worse for the locals, who had to see their team fail to win a game against the lime-green-clad Hawks.
Nobuhiro Matsuda continued his hot streak, swatting three hits and driving in three runs as the Hawks won two of three [with one draw], taking Sunday’s game 8-5 over the coconut-gold-wearing Fighters.
Hiroaki Takaya chipped in with two hits and a pair of RBIs, and Kenji Akashi added three hits for the Hawks, who got seven strong innings from Kenji Otonari (6-4) to win for the third time in the Kermit the Frog uniforms [described as VV Green].
Brian Wolfe (5-5) [this week’s guest on JBW], took his lumps by allowing five earned runs on 12 hits over 5.2 innings.
Matsuda, who lifted his average to .318, came in hitting .385 the past week. The Hawks tied a season high with 17 hits, including six in a four-run second inning, to win their ninth straight at Sapporo Dome.
BUFFALOES 4, MARINES 3
Keiji Obiki came on as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and smacked his third homer, a solo blast, and Mamoru Kishida used every inch of the left-center power alley to get Tadahito Iguchi to fly out with a man on to end the game for his 14th save as Orix edged Lotte at The Q.
LIONS 9, EAGLES 5
Chris Carter capped a five-run sixth with a two-run single as Seibu came from two runs back to top Rakuten and avoid a sweep in a three-game set at Seibu Dome.
CENTRAL LEAGUE
CARP 2, SWALLOWS 0
Yosuke Nomura (6-3) fired seven scoreless innings and Soichiro Amaya had four hits and scored a run in the first as Hiroshima won its fifth straight by blanking visiting Yakult.
Cam Micolio allowed a hit and a long out to home run leader Wladimir Balentien, but nailed it down for his 10th save.
GIANTS 3, TIGERS 2
D.J. Houlton (6-6) worked seven innings, holding Hanshin to a run on four hits and a hit batter with four Ks, and Shigeyuki Furuki knocked in just his second run this season as Yomiuri swept its series at Tokyo Dome.
DRAGONS 2, BAYSTARS 1, 10 INNINGS
Atsushi Fujii’s bases-loaded shot down the line in right pushed home the game-winning run for a walk-off single [his first career sayonara hit and first RBI of the season] as Chunichi extended its club-record home winning streak to 14 by sweeping Yokohama.
Previous Topic
Hawks top Fighters in freaky fashion series
As hard to watch as the SoftBank-Nippon Ham three-game series in Sapporo was for fans, it was worse for the locals, who had to see their team fail to win a game against the lime-green-clad Hawks.
Nobuhiro Matsuda continued his hot streak, swatting three hits and driving in three runs as the Hawks won two of three [with one draw], taking Sunday’s game 8-5 over the coconut-gold-wearing Fighters.
Hiroaki Takaya chipped in with two hits and a pair of RBIs, and Kenji Akashi added three hits for the Hawks, who got seven strong innings from Kenji Otonari (6-4) to win for the third time in the Kermit the Frog uniforms [described as VV Green].
Brian Wolfe (5-5) [this week’s guest on JBW], took his lumps by allowing five earned runs on 12 hits over 5.2 innings.
Matsuda, who lifted his average to .318, came in hitting .385 the past week. The Hawks tied a season high with 17 hits, including six in a four-run second inning, to win their ninth straight at Sapporo Dome.
BUFFALOES 4, MARINES 3
Keiji Obiki came on as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and smacked his third homer, a solo blast, and Mamoru Kishida used every inch of the left-center power alley to get Tadahito Iguchi to fly out with a man on to end the game for his 14th save as Orix edged Lotte at The Q.
LIONS 9, EAGLES 5
Chris Carter capped a five-run sixth with a two-run single as Seibu came from two runs back to top Rakuten and avoid a sweep in a three-game set at Seibu Dome.
CENTRAL LEAGUE
CARP 2, SWALLOWS 0
Yosuke Nomura (6-3) fired seven scoreless innings and Soichiro Amaya had four hits and scored a run in the first as Hiroshima won its fifth straight by blanking visiting Yakult.
Cam Micolio allowed a hit and a long out to home run leader Wladimir Balentien, but nailed it down for his 10th save.
GIANTS 3, TIGERS 2
D.J. Houlton (6-6) worked seven innings, holding Hanshin to a run on four hits and a hit batter with four Ks, and Shigeyuki Furuki knocked in just his second run this season as Yomiuri swept its series at Tokyo Dome.
DRAGONS 2, BAYSTARS 1, 10 INNINGS
Atsushi Fujii’s bases-loaded shot down the line in right pushed home the game-winning run for a walk-off single [his first career sayonara hit and first RBI of the season] as Chunichi extended its club-record home winning streak to 14 by sweeping Yokohama.