NPB Highlights and Standings (week of May 25, 2003)
Fukuoka Daiei Hawks 7 - Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes 5:
Arihito Muramatsu blasted a ninth inning three-run homer to beat the Buffaloes at Osaka Dome. Kevin Beirne (2-5) took the loss that put the Hawks one game in front of Kintetsu in the Pacific League standings.
Nippon Ham Fighters 10 - Seibu Lions 1:
The Fighters amassed 10 runs and 13 hits to maul the Lions at Seibu Dome. Angel Echevarria launched two-run homers twice in the lopsided victory. Hiroyuki Sekine (1-0) gave up only one run and two hits in five wins to earn the win. [westbaystars: This ties the Japan record for most consecutive double digit runs scored at four games, previously done by the 1951 Giants and 1998 Hawks.]
Chiba Lotte Marines 3 - Orix Blue Wave 0:
Nate Minchey went the distance giving up only two hits and one walk on 99 pitches to beat the BlueWave at Chiba Marine Stadium. Hisashi Ogura gave up solo home runs to Masaumi Shimizu, Kazuya Fukuura, and Rick Short. The game lasted only two hours and four minutes despite a brief interruption by tremors from a 7.0 Tohoku centered earthquake. [westbaystars: For those of you not familiar with Japanese geography, Tohoku is way up north, just below the northern most island of Hokkaido. It's like feeling an earthquake centered in San Francisco while in Los Angeles. On the Japanese scale of 7, it was a low 6 up there, a 3 down here in Yokohama, Tokyo, and Chiba. And, yes, our house shook for about 20 seconds.]
Nippon Professional Baseball - May 27, 2003
Central League
W L T Pct GB
31 15 1 .674 Hanshin Tigers
24 21 1 .533 6.5 Yomiuri Giants
25 23 0 .521 7.0 Chunichi Dragons
23 24 0 .489 8.5 Yakult Swallows
20 22 0 .476 9.0 Hiroshima Carp
14 32 0 .304 17.0 Yokohama BayStarsPacific League
W L T Pct GB
29 18 1 .617 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
28 19 0 .596 1.0 Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
25 22 1 .532 4.0 Seibu Lions
20 24 2 .455 7.5 Nippon Ham Fighters
20 26 0 .435 8.5 Chiba Lotte Marines
14 27 2 .341 12.0 Orix BlueWave
Current NPB All-Star voting results can be found here [in English]. And be sure to cast your vote [also in English] for the Japanese All-Star Teams.
Fukuoka Daiei Hawks 6 - Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes 2:
Tsuyoshi Wada (6-2) struck out seven batters while yielding two runs on eight hits, and three walks to defeat the Buffaloes at Osaka Dome. Kintetsu's Norihiro Nakamura launched a two-run homer [his 10th] off of Wada.
Nippon Ham Fighters 3 - Seibu Lions 2:
Satoru Kanemura (2-3) allowed two runs and four hits to beat the Lions at Seibu Dome. Michihiro Ogasawara increased his Pacific League leading batting average to .380 by hitting 3-for-4. Tsutomu Ito hit a solo home run for Seibu. [westbaystars: While the Fighting Ham didn't set a new Japan record for consecutive double digit scores, this was a big game for them as it showed that they can win the close ones.]
Chiba Lotte Marines 3 - Orix BlueWave 2:
Rick Short drove in the winning runs on a two-run double to slip the Marines past the BlueWave at Chiba Marine Stadium. Shunsuke Watanabe (1-1) gave up two runs and two hits in 5-2/3 innings to earn his first victory since September 2001. Masahide Kobayashi picked up his 12th save for 2003.
Hanshin Tigers 4 - Yokohama BayStars 3:
The Tigers scratched out a win on a triple by Norihiro Akahoshi, Tomoaki Kanemoto's walk, and Osamu Hamanaka's single in the seventh inning at Koshien Stadium. Yuya Ando (3-0) got the win and Aussie Jeff Williams nailed his 15th save of 2003. [westbaystars: This was Hanshin's 9th victory in a row over the 'Stars after dropping the season opener. It also marked the triumphant return of Hamanaka to the line-up, and Kuji returned to Koshien in pin stripes for the first time in six years (played two innings at short, no at bats).]
Chunichi Dragons 10 - Yomiuri Giants 5:
The Dragons drove in five runs in the first inning to topple the Giants at Nagoya Dome. It was a 3-for-4 night for both Kosuke Fukudome and Kazuyoshi Tatsunami. Makoto Kito (3-1) notched the victory giving up only one run in five innings. Hiroki Sanada (1-5) took the loss with just 1 plus inning of work.
Hiroshima Carp - Yakult Swallows:
Postponed.
Nippon Professional Baseball - May 28, 2003
Central League
W L T Pct GB
32 15 1 .681 Hanshin Tigers
26 23 0 .531 7.0 Chunichi Dragons
24 22 1 .522 7.5 Yomiuri Giants
23 24 0 .489 9.0 Yakult Swallows
20 22 0 .476 9.5 Hiroshima Carp
14 33 0 .298 18.0 Yokohama BayStarsPacific League
W L T Pct GB
30 18 1 .625 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
28 20 0 .583 2.0 Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
25 23 1 .521 5.0 Seibu Lions
21 24 2 .467 7.5 Nippon Ham Fighters
21 26 0 .447 8.5 Chiba Lotte Marines
14 28 2 .333 13.0 Orix BlueWave
Hanshin Tigers 10 - Yokohama BayStars 9:
Tomoaki Kanemoto blasted a second-inning two-run homer to help the Tigers defeat the BayStars at Koshien Stadium. Keiichi Yabu (4-2) won the game giving up four runs in 6-1/3 innings. Jeff Williams notched his 16th save of 2003 despite ninth-inning solo home runs by rookie Shuichi Murata (his second on the evening) and Tyrone Woods.
Yomiuri Giants 5 - Chunichi Dragons 4:
Gary Rath gave up three runs and eight hits in 6-2/3 innings for the victory. Junichi Kawahara got his seventh save of 2003 at the game played at Nagoya Dome.
Yakult Swallows 4 - Hiroshima Carp 3:
Jason Beverlin (6-1) yielded only one run and eight hits in seven innings to slip past the Carp at Jingu Stadium. Beverlin also had an RBI to help his cause.
Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes 6 - Fukuoka Daiei Hawks 4:
Yasuo Nagaike had two RBIs to lead the Buffaloes over the Hawks at Osaka Dome and help them regain second place. Ken Kadokura earned the win allowing three runs and seven hits in seven innings.
Seibu Lions 5 - Nippon Ham Fighters 1:
Alex Cabrera launched an eigth-inning grand slam home run to break a 1-1 tie and edge the Fighters at Seibu Dome. Koji Mitsui received the win.
Chiba Lotte Marines 5 - Orix BlueWave 2:
Soichi Fujita defeated the BlueWave, giving up only one run and two hits in six innings of work at Chiba Marine Stadium. Mac Suzuki yielded five runs (two earned) and five hits in 5-2/3 innings to get pinned with the loss.
Nippon Professional Baseball - May 29, 2003
Central League
W L T Pct GB
33 15 1 .688 Hanshin Tigers
25 22 1 .532 7.5 Yomiuri Giants
26 24 0 .520 8.0 Chunichi Dragons
24 24 0 .500 9.0 Yakult Swallows
20 23 0 .465 10.5 Hiroshima Carp
14 34 0 .292 19.0 Yokohama BayStarsPacific League
W L T Pct GB
30 19 1 .612 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
29 20 0 .592 1.0 Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
26 23 1 .531 4.0 Seibu Lions
22 26 0 .458 7.5 Chiba Lotte Marines
21 25 2 .457 7.5 Nippon Ham Fighters
14 29 2 .326 13.0 Orix BlueWave
Hanshin Tigers 2 - Yokohama BayStars 1:
Hideki Irabu (6-1) struck out 13 batters, allowing only one run and five hits in a complete game victory over the BayStars at Koshien Stadium. Makoto Imaoka hit a solo homer for the Tigers. Takeshi Nakamura drove in the only run for Yokohama with a third inning home run.
Yakult Swallows 6 - Hiroshima Carp 5:
Katsuyuki Dobashi doubled in the winning run to slip the Swallows past the Carp at Jingu Stadium. Koichi Ogata blasted a couple of two-run homers for Hiroshima in the losing cause. Tatsuki Yamamoto got the victory and Shingo Takatsu picked up his 13th save.
Nippon Professional Baseball - May 30, 2003
Central League
W L T Pct GB 34 15 1 .697 Hanshin Tigers
25 22 1 .532 8.0 Yomiuri Giants
26 24 0 .520 8.5 Chunichi Dragons
25 24 0 .510 9.0 Yakult Swallows
20 24 0 .455 11.5 Hiroshima Carp
14 35 0 .286 20.0 Yokohama BayStarsPacific League
W L T Pct GB
30 19 1 .612 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
29 20 0 .592 1.0 Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
26 23 1 .531 4.0 Seibu Lions
22 26 0 .458 7.5 Chiba Lotte Marines
21 25 2 .457 7.5 Nippon Ham Fighters
14 29 2 .326 13.0 Orix BlueWave
Yomiuri Giants 8 - Hanshin Tigers 2:
Hisanori Takahashi struck out 11 batters in a complete game win over the high-flying Tigers at Tokyo Dome. Takahashi yielded eight hits and one walk on 140 pitches and kept Hanshin scoreless until the ninth inning. Takayuki Shimizu hit a fourth-inning grand slam home run off of relief pitcher Masahiro Sakumoto. Starter Trey Moore (7-2) took the loss.
Chunichi Dragons 5 - Yakult Swallows 4:
Takayuki Onishi, Alex Ochoa, and Ivan Cruz blasted home runs to lead the Dragons past the Swallows at Chiba Marine Stadium. Onishi hit 5-for-5 for the night. Eiji Ochiai (5-0) earned the victory in relief.
Orix BlueWave 5 - Nippon Ham Fighters 4:
Scott Sheldon drove in the winning run on an eigth-inning homer for the BlueWave at Yahoo BB Stadium.
Nippon Professional Baseball - May 31, 2003
Central League
W L T Pct GB
34 16 1 .680 Hanshin Tigers
26 22 1 .542 7.0 Yomiuri Giants
26 24 0 .529 7.5 Chunichi Dragons
25 25 0 .500 9.0 Yakult Swallows
20 24 0 .455 11.0 Hiroshima Carp
14 35 0 .286 19.5 Yokohama BayStarsPacific League
W L T Pct GB
30 19 1 .612 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
29 20 0 .592 1.0 Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
26 23 1 .531 4.0 Seibu Lions
22 26 0 .458 7.5 Chiba Lotte Marines
21 26 2 .447 8.0 Nippon Ham Fighters
15 29 2 .341 12.5 Orix BlueWave
This is a site about Pro Yakyu (Japanese Baseball), not about who the next player to go over to MLB is. It's a community of Pro Yakyu fans who have come together to share their knowledge and opinions with the world. It's a place to follow teams and individuals playing baseball in Japan (and Asia), and to learn about Japanese (and Asian) culture through baseball.
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Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes 10 - Orix BlueWave 6:
Tuffy Rhodes hit his 19th home run to help the Buffaloes beat the BlueWave in Kobe.
Seibu Lions 7 - Fukuoka Daiei Hawks 1:
Kazuhiro Wada went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the Lions' win over the Hawks in Fukuoka.
Nippon Ham Fighters 19 - Chiba Lotte Marines 1:
The Fighters had three-run homers by Tomochika Tsuboi and D.T. Cromer to demolish the Marines at Tokyo Dome. Michihiro Ogasawara contributed with a two-run homer in the fifth inning.
Hanshin Tigers 6 - Yakult Swallows 4:
Tomoaki Kanemoto hit an eighth inning double to bring in the go-ahead run in Matsuyama.
Yomiuri Giants 11 - Yokohama BayStars 5:
Koji Uehara (4-2) stuck out 11 batters while allowing four hits in seven innings to earn the victory in Yokohama. Uehara also hit a RBI single in the seventh inning.
Chunichi Dragons 6 - Hiroshima Carp 4:
Ivan Cruz hit a solo home run to help defeat the Carp in Hiroshima.
Nippon Professional Baseball - May 26, 2003