2007 Nippon Series: Game 2
Discussion in the NPB News forum
Comments
Re: 2007 Nippon Series: Game 2
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Oct 28, 2007 10:39 PM
| YBS Fan
]
I'd like to thank Torakichi-san, Dave R, and Beethoven for covering the first 3 1/2 innings tonight while I was out. I know that I take a lot of credit during this time period for bringing the games to everyone, but it's really all of you who volunteer your time and knowledge that make this the community that it is. I should be thanking all of you. So let me do that now, thank you all for your participation.
Anyway, before getting all glossy eyed, and without any further ado, here' the transcript to Game 2:
TRANSCRIPT generated on 2007/10/28
CHATROOM 2007 Nippon Series/Game 2
15:26 tun: hi
15:26 tun: just us two?
18:05 torakichi: 2007 Nippon Series Game 2.
18:05 torakichi: For those of you in Japan, tonight's coverage is on the Tokyo TV network.
18:05 torakichi: That's TV Osaka for we in Kansai.
18:07 torakichi: Dragons' line up is same as yesterday. Starting pitcher is Nakata.
18:08 torakichi: Nippon Ham's catcher for tonight is Takahashi. Starting pitcher is... Sayuri Tominaga?
18:08 torakichi: No, wait. They've cut to commercials.
18:09 torakichi: Ah! Company.
18:09 Beethoven: Hi Torakachi-San :]
18:10 Beethoven: Will you be doing some play-by-play?
18:10 Dave R: It looks like I can get the game on NHK World. They've just cut to the Sapporo Dome.
18:10 torakichi: Evening!
18:10 Beethoven: I'm in Canada, no TV coverage here :[
18:10 Beethoven: Pleased to meet you! :]]
18:10 torakichi: Well, at the moment, all you're missing is the natinal anthem.
18:11 torakichi: Kimi-gaaaaaaaaa yo-waaaa... etc.
18:11 Dave R: I'm in the Philippines, where NHK is one of the stations on cable.
18:11 Beethoven: Um, I doubt if I would recognize it even if I heard it, sad to tell.
18:11 Beethoven: Hi Dave!
18:11 torakichi: No national anthem compares to France's.
18:12 Beethoven: Heh. Lovely melody, but bloodthirsty lyrics. :]
18:12 torakichi: Which is all very well, but who is Nippon Ham's starter?!
18:13 Beethoven: It's supposed to be Glynn
18:13 torakichi: Re: France's anthem. Yeah, makes you want to go out and kill... who was it at the time... Germans?
18:13 Beethoven: no...the aristocrats of France
18:13 Beethoven: "quen sang impur, abreuve nos sillons"
18:14 Beethoven: so that an impure blood may flow in our furrows
18:14 torakichi: Well, they'll do in a pinch.
18:14 torakichi: Aha! Yes, it's Glynn.
18:14 Dave R: NHK also showed a college baseball game this afternoon, Waseda and Keio. Keio won 1-0 in 12 innings.
18:15 0000: Hi, How is going on 2007 Nippon Series Game 2?
18:15 Dave R: Fighters have taken the field, Glynn rwsfy to start warmup throws.
18:15 Dave R: Ugh, READY to start.
18:16 Beethoven: I did a matchup informally; Dragon's pitcher Nakata looks the better of the two, to me.
18:16 0000: Thanks.
18:16 Beethoven: Hi Dave! :]
18:16 torakichi: I don't know much about Glynn, but Nakata has been very impressive this season.
18:16 torakichi: So! Here we go.
18:17 Dave R: Araki steps in for the Dragons.
18:17 Beethoven: I've been doing the Starter Pitcher Page on the forums here,
18:17 Dave R: One pitch, one single to center.
18:17 torakichi: First pitch: Slightly wide. Araki gets a hit to center.
18:18 Beethoven: Uh oh, that was quck!
18:18 torakichi: Ibata steps up to the plate.
18:18 Dave R: Ibata up now.
18:18 torakichi: Glynn throws to first, Araki is back safely.
18:19 torakichi: First pitch: Araki steals second easily.
18:19 Dave R: Araki steals 2nd base.
18:19 Beethoven: wow!
18:19 Beethoven: no outs, and a man already in scoring postion.
18:19 Dave R: 1-1 to Ibata.
18:20 torakichi: First pitch was a strike. Second pitch: low down. 1-1
18:20 Beethoven: Thanks for doing this, guys. No TV, no radio for this in Canada
18:20 torakichi: The commentators are talking about how this is a good way for Chunichi to attack Glynn.
18:21 torakichi: They say he gets frustrated.
18:21 Dave R: Glad you can translate the commentary. I can just watch the pretty pictures
18:21 torakichi: So! 0 outs, runner on 2nd...
18:21 torakichi: It's a bloop hit!
18:21 Dave R: Base hit to right field, runner held at 3rd.
18:21 torakichi: Araki to 3rd.
18:22 torakichi: Morino up.
18:23 torakichi: Glynn again to 1st. That was close, but Ibata makes it back.
18:23 Dave R: Nice pickoff move, Ibata just got back.
18:23 torakichi: Runners 1 and 3... Glynn throws to 1st *again*
18:23 torakichi: Count is still 0-0
18:24 torakichi: Morino fouls it off.
18:24 Beethoven: Sacrify fly coming?
18:24 Dave R: 2 strike count
18:25 torakichi: Argh, that was right down the middle, but Morino's not interested.
18:25 Beethoven: I meant Sacrifice fly, sorry
18:25 Dave R: another close pickoff attempt
18:25 Beethoven: caught looking eh?
18:26 Dave R: You got your sac fly. 1-0 Dragons.
18:26 Dave R: Hit to center, runner on 1st holds.
18:26 Dave R: One out.
18:26 Beethoven: Man! That's deadly! Nobody out, right?
18:26 torakichi: Here comes Woods.
18:26 Beethoven: Oh, sorry.
18:26 Dave R: Tyrone Woods up next.
18:27 Beethoven: I'll shut up for a bit. :]
18:27 torakichi: With the sac fly, that's 1 out.
18:27 Beethoven: gotcha!
18:27 torakichi: Slightly inside. Woods let's it go.
18:28 torakichi: Same ball.. hits it...
18:28 Dave R: 6-4-3 double play, side out.
18:28 torakichi: Double play!
18:28 Beethoven: Exciting inning!!!
18:29 Dave R: Dragons 1, Fighters coming to bat.
18:29 torakichi: The Hamsters have dealt with Woods really well so far.
18:30 Dave R: Nakata's warmups didn't look that great, a couple way in the dirt.
18:30 torakichi: Nakata: 14-8 this season. It seems like all of those victories were over the Tigers.
18:30 Dave R: Here's Morimoto to bat.
18:31 engrey: Hello all
18:31 torakichi: 2 strikes... waste pitch outside.
18:31 engrey: how's the score?
18:31 Dave R: count is 2S 1B
18:31 torakichi: Oh, that was in the dirt.
18:31 Dave R: 1-0 Dragons, bottom 1st
18:32 torakichi: Score: Dragons 1 Ham Fighters 0
18:32 engrey: thanks
18:32 Dave R: groundout 6-3
18:33 torakichi: Nakata claims not to be nervous. The fearlessness of youth?
18:33 torakichi: Nakata is going inside against Tanaka.
18:33 torakichi: Hits high to left field. Easy catch.
18:34 Dave R: flies out to left, 2 out
18:34 baekgom: hi everyone
18:34 torakichi: That brings Inaba to the plate.
18:34 torakichi: Hi, baekgom.
18:34 torakichi: Inaba also hits to left. Easy catch. 3 outs.
18:34 Dave R: Inaba flies out to left, inning over.
18:35 Dave R: 1-0 Dragons after one.
18:35 torakichi: The Dragons tried to niggle Glynn in the first.
18:36 torakichi: Small hits, quick base running...
18:36 torakichi: How will he react in the 2nd?
18:37 Dave R: Tatsunami steps in.
18:37 torakichi: TV comments man, Marines' catcher Satozaki things the Ham did well to keep the Dragons to 1 run.
18:37 Beethoven: Here we go! :]
18:38 torakichi: Tatsunami fouls it off. Count 1-1
18:38 Dave R: groundout 6-3, one out
18:38 torakichi: Mistimes a breaking ball. Kaneko fields and fires to 1st for the out.
18:38 torakichi: Up comes Nori.
18:39 Dave R: Nakamura is next, one strike
18:39 torakichi: Second pitch well inside, but not as far inside as the cacther wanted.
18:39 Dave R: 1S, 2B
18:40 Dave R: count now 2-2
18:40 torakichi: Oh! That was well placed! On the very outside of the strike zone!
18:40 Beethoven: great desccriptions, both of you! :]]
18:40 Dave R: gropunds out 5-3
18:40 torakichi: Pow! Nakamura unleashes his "full swing" but to no avail.
18:41 Dave R: Lee up now, two down for the Dragons.
18:41 Dave R: 2 balls the count
18:41 Dave R: 0S 3B
18:41 torakichi: Lee watches three balls go by: two wide, one low.
18:41 Dave R: 1S 3B
18:42 torakichi: At last. Glynn get's one in the zone!
18:42 Dave R: foul out to the catcher, side out
18:42 torakichi: Brilliant catch by Takahashi. Right at the edge of the foul area.
18:42 Dave R: NMice run and sliding catch.
18:43 torakichi: Almost cruches his legs, but hey, what's a couple of appendages?
18:43 Dave R: 1-0 Dragons, mid 2nd, Fighters have 4-5-6 batters coming ip
18:43 Beethoven: important play!
18:43 torakichi: Glynn's son was shown on camera just now. The comments people talked about how Glynn...
18:44 torakichi: ...plays better with his boy there.
18:44 torakichi: It was warm and fuzzy until Satozaki pointed out that...
18:44 torakichi: ..."Kyle was a bit slimmer at the beginning of the season!"
18:44 Dave R: Seguignol leads off.
18:45 Dave R: Beanball in the right leg, he goes down to first, looks okay
18:45 Beethoven: Fighter's best hitter, right?
18:45 torakichi: Plunk! Right on the side of the knee.
18:45 Beethoven: ouch!
18:46 torakichi: Takahashi swings at the first pitch, but just gets an edge.
18:46 torakichi: For all you cricket fans out there, it was a dolly to deep point.
18:47 Dave R: flyout to center, runner holds, 1 out
18:47 torakichi: Next pitch: Pow! That's more like it... but no. Easy catch. Takahashi out.
18:47 Christopher: It certainly was
18:48 Dave R: 5-4 fielders choice, batter beats relay at first
18:48 Dave R: 2 outs
18:48 torakichi: My goodness. That Kudo can fly.
18:49 torakichi: Kudo takes a large-ish lead... and Nakata can't resist trying to pick him off.
18:49 torakichi: Count is 0S 1B.
18:49 torakichi: Koyano makes contact...
18:49 Dave R: 6-4 forceout, inning over
18:50 torakichi: But easy pickings for the field. 3 outs.
18:50 Dave R: End of 2, still 1-0 for the Dragons
18:50 Beethoven: Dragons to bat?
18:51 torakichi: Yup.
18:51 torakichi: Shades of yesterday's game?
18:51 Dave R: bottom of the order
18:51 Beethoven: k thanks
18:52 Dave R: Tanishige leading off
18:52 torakichi: Up steps Tanishige. Ungh! Ungh! A couple of practice swings
18:52 torakichi: Nice pitch. Eventually dropping out of the zone.
18:53 torakichi: From 1-1 Glynn... Ooooh! That was close. Just wide.
18:53 Dave R: 2-2 count after a foul ball
18:53 torakichi: Now 2-2. What will Glynn throw?>
18:53 torakichi: Ball!
18:53 Dave R: full count
18:54 Dave R: fly out to right, 1 down
18:54 torakichi: Sounded like the bat cracked when he hit that.
18:54 torakichi: Man, how many of you composers are there?!
18:55 Beethoven1: I got bumped off! :[
18:55 Beethoven1: had to use another nick to get back in.
18:55 torakichi: Glynn's mixing them up well against batter Fujii. Some breaking, some straight.
18:56 Dave R: count now 2-2
18:56 torakichi: Strike out!
18:56 Dave R: called strike three
18:56 Dave R: outside corner
18:56 torakichi: That one *just* snuck in the far side of the zone.
18:57 torakichi: Same ball to Araki... ball?
18:58 Dave R: Araki flies to left, side out for Dragons
18:58 torakichi: Re: that third strike to Fujii: Satozaki says that is really hard to pick.
18:58 Dave R: NHK breaks away to show highlights of Dice-K's game against the Rockies
18:59 torakichi: One of the other play-by-play men made fun of him for staring so intently at the screen...
18:59 torakichi: ...to see if he could work out how to attack that pitch.
18:59 torakichi: He said "My livelihood depends on it".
18:59 Beethoven1: Detroit in 4 probably
19:00 Beethoven1: Colorado needed this win desperately
19:00 Beethoven1: A sweep is likely now
19:01 torakichi: Nakata to Tanaka. 1S 2B
19:01 Dave R: 1S 2B to Inada
19:01 torakichi: Oops. Wrong better. Sorry.
19:01 Dave R: NHK just dropped it's coverage to show the 7:00 news!
19:02 torakichi: Evening. miesque.
19:02 Christopher: Try Channel 12
19:02 Dave R: Might be all yours, torakicki
19:02 torakichi: Nakata walks the batter!
19:02 Beethoven1: Hi miesque!
19:02 Dave R: I'm in the Philippines, NHK on cable is the only Japanese station
19:02 torakichi: NHK should be back in 5 minutes.
19:03 Christopher: Sorry to hear that
19:03 torakichi: So! 0 outs. Runer on 1st. Nakata to Kaneko.
19:03 torakichi: Kaneko looks to bunt.
19:03 miesque: konbanwa torakichi
19:03 torakichi: Bunts it... can't throw to second. Out at 1st.
19:03 torakichi: Bunt seiko!
19:04 torakichi: Up steps "Slephead" Morimoto.
19:04 miesque: Hi Beethoven1!
19:04 baekgom: Is there any online radio coverage of this game?
19:04 torakichi: "Slaphead"
19:04 torakichi: Radio: I couldn't find any.
19:04 torakichi: Morimoto pops it up for an easy out.
19:04 Beethoven1: ?
19:04 torakichi: Runner at 2nd can't move.
19:05 torakichi: Tanaka to the plate.
19:05 torakichi: 2 out, runner on 2nd.
19:05 torakichi: Nakata to Tanaka.
19:05 baekgom: That's a shame, considering how easy it is to find online radio and TV coverage of the Korean series.
19:05 torakichi: Fastball, a bit high, but in the zone.
19:05 torakichi: 1S 0B
19:06 torakichi: 2nd pitch. Hit towards left..... but the ballbreaks to foul.
19:06 Beethoven1: no radio or tv in Canada, Bah!
19:06 torakichi: 2S 0B
19:07 torakichi: Waste pitch outside the zone. 2S 1B
19:07 torakichi: Nakata to Tanaka...
19:07 torakichi: Fork ball! It's at Tanaka's feet but he takes a big fat swing!
19:07 torakichi: Strike out!
19:08 torakichi: That's three outs.
19:08 torakichi: Not sure about radio, but Japan has some complex copyright laws when it comes to reproducing TV coverage online.
19:09 Dave R: So still 1-0, end of three.
19:09 torakichi: Everyone who has any kind of say in the copyrights of a programme has to give clear approval EVERY time.
19:09 torakichi: We now resume normal transmission...
19:10 torakichi: Ibata steps up for Chunichi.
19:10 torakichi: Glynn to Ibata...
19:10 torakichi: Straight down the middle.
19:10 torakichi: 1S 0B
19:10 torakichi: Next pitch is wide.
19:10 torakichi: 3rd pitch: wide again.
19:11 torakichi: 4th pitch: Ibata lofts it high!
19:11 torakichi: It comes down with snow on it... for an easy catch.
19:11 torakichi: Glynn to Morino...
19:11 torakichi: 1 out 0 runners.
19:12 torakichi: Oh! That was s good pitch. A smidgen wide.
19:12 torakichi: This time Glynn goes inside. Ball again.
19:12 torakichi: 0S 2B
19:12 torakichi: Ball low!
19:12 torakichi: 0S 3B
19:13 torakichi: Ball low... but the ump calls it a strike.
19:13 torakichi: 1S 3B
19:13 torakichi: Great pitch! But the ump calls it ball wide.
19:13 torakichi: Glynn walks Morino.
19:14 torakichi: Up steps Tyrone Woods...
19:14 torakichi: ...Who has not had a happy series so far.
19:14 torakichi: Glynn goes wide first pitch.
19:14 torakichi: 2nd pitch: ball again.
19:14 torakichi: 0S 2B
19:15 torakichi: 1 out runner on 1st.
19:15 torakichi: Glynn to Woods..
19:15 torakichi: Pitches wide but just inside the zone. Strike.
19:15 torakichi: 1S 2B. 4th pitch
19:16 torakichi: Low! 1S 3B
19:16 torakichi: Welcome to the commentary box.
19:16 westbaystars: Good evening, all.
19:16 torakichi: Glynn to Woods...
19:16 westbaystars: So, how are things going?
19:16 westbaystars: I see Chunichi's up 1-0.
19:16 torakichi: Ball low! Glynn walks 2nd batter in a row.
19:16 westbaystars: Glynn being too careful to Woods?
19:17 torakichi: And Morino.
19:17 Christopher: Maybe -there's now a conference on the mound
19:17 torakichi: I have a new-found respect for your text commentaries.
19:17 westbaystars: Glynn has thrown 53 pitches so far, 1 strike out, 2 hits, 2 walks.
19:17 torakichi: How do you keep up?!
19:18 westbaystars: Would you like to finish out the inning, or have me take over?
19:18 torakichi: I'll finish this inning.
19:18 torakichi: Glynn to Tatsunami... ball!
19:18 torakichi: 0S 1B
19:18 westbaystars: I used to be a legal secretary temp (to get through college).
19:18 torakichi: Runers on 1st and 2nd
19:18 westbaystars: I don't type 55 wpm any more, though.
19:18 torakichi: 2nd pitch: strike!
19:19 torakichi: Next pitch: high'n'wide
19:19 torakichi: 1S 2B, 1 out, 2 on deck
19:19 torakichi: Kapow! Hit hard.... to foul ground.
19:20 torakichi: 2S 2B
19:20 torakichi: Commentators think that makes it hard for Glynn to pitch a slider.
19:20 torakichi: Next pitch: Ooh! That was nice, but ump calls it a ball.
19:20 torakichi: Glynn getting frustrated?
19:20 torakichi: Two yellow dots, three green ones - full count!
19:21 torakichi: Ball wide, Tatsunami cuts it away.
19:21 torakichi: Too far inside! Walks 3rd batter this inning!
19:21 westbaystars: From the above commentary, I take it that Glynn has been having trouble getting strikes called.
19:22 westbaystars: And getting some balls called strikes. That makes things rather confusing.
19:22 torakichi: Certainly in this inning.
19:22 torakichi: 2nd and 3rd he was doing well.
19:22 westbaystars: Nori is 1 for 5 in the Series so far.
19:22 torakichi: Glynn to Nori... ball.
19:23 torakichi: 1 out, 3 on deck.
19:23 torakichi: Glynn to Nori... Strike!
19:23 westbaystars: I thought that the last pitch to Tatsunami was a bit inside. But he reacted as though it was clearly a strike.
19:23 westbaystars: Camera angle may be a factor for me, though.
19:23 torakichi: That one moved an inch in the air, slightly outside but inside the zone.
19:24 torakichi: Commentators said the same thing.
19:24 torakichi: So! Bases loaded, coult 1S 2B.
19:24 torakichi: Bam! Nori slams it.... to foul ground.
19:24 Beethoven1: Hi Westbaystars-san!
19:25 torakichi: Count 2-2
19:25 Thomas: hi
19:25 torakichi: Glynn to Nori...
19:25 westbaystars: Good evening, Beethoven-san. Thanks for those Kansas City Star articles.
19:25 torakichi: Kapow! To the fence!
19:25 torakichi: 2 runners make it home.
19:25 torakichi: 3-0 to Chunichi.
19:26 torakichi: Ball was slightly outside, Nori coaxed it to right field.
19:26 westbaystars: Nakata giving a clap of the glove outside the first base dugout.
19:26 torakichi: Hillman's had enough. Change of pitcher.
19:27 torakichi: Glynn's on screen. Those of you who can lip-read should look away.
19:27 westbaystars: Glynn threw 65 pitches over 3 1/3rd innings.
19:27 westbaystars: Giving up 3 runs so far on just 3 hits.
19:27 Beethoven2: LOL
19:27 westbaystars: Walking the bases loaded really hurt Glynn here in the fourth.
19:28 Beethoven2: I got bumped again. You're welcome Westbaystars-san! :]
19:28 torakichi: Back in the 1st inning, the commentary team spoke of Glynn's propensity to get frustrated.
19:28 westbaystars: Yoshikawa comes in to pitch.
19:28 torakichi: Looks like they were right.
19:28 torakichi: But the ump certainly did him no favours.
19:29 westbaystars: From what I've seen this inning, Glynn wanted more corner calls than he got. And got frustrated.
19:29 torakichi: He has a case. Maybe it's the camera angle, but some of them looked pretty good.
19:29 torakichi: Anyway, back to the action.
19:30 torakichi: Still 1 out, runners on 2 and 3.
19:30 torakichi: Snick... ball goes high... to foul.
19:30 torakichi: Count 1-1
19:30 Beethoven2: who's batting?
19:31 torakichi: Oh, what happened there! Easy touch-out of the second base runner
19:31 torakichi: Good fielding by Tanaka.
19:31 westbaystars: Lee grounded the ball to the right side.
19:31 torakichi: Tanishige up to the plate.
19:31 torakichi: 2 out. Runners on 1 and 3.
19:31 westbaystars: Tanaka fielded the ball and was going to go to second to get Nori off the bag.
19:31 torakichi: Yoshikawa to Tanishige...
19:32 westbaystars: Instead, he passed by Kaneko covering second and ran Nori down between second and third.
19:32 torakichi: Nice pitch... called ball.
19:32 westbaystars: Lee reaches on the fielder's choice.
19:32 torakichi: 0S 1B
19:32 torakichi: Second pitch: ball low!
19:32 Dave R: News over, NHK has come back to the game. What a way to run a railroad!
19:32 westbaystars: I wouldn't call that an "easy touch out" though.
19:32 torakichi: He made it look that way
19:33 westbaystars: I'm on NHK BS1 They've stayed with the game.
19:33 torakichi: 1S 2B
19:33 westbaystars: Both teams' middle infielders make everything look easy.
19:33 torakichi: Pitch outsie, Tanishige swings... foul ball.
19:33 Christopher: NHK No 1 does that if they cover the game
19:33 torakichi: Right. They're very good.
19:33 Dave R: I'm on NHK World, watching in Manila.
19:34 torakichi: So, count 2-2, 2 out.
19:34 torakichi: Pitches... in the dirt. Tanishige lets it go.
19:34 torakichi: Two yellow dots, three green ones - full count!
19:34 torakichi: Runners on 1 and 3. What can Tanishige do?
19:34 Christopher: Yes they are basically NHK 1
19:34 torakichi: Curve ball... outside! Tanishige walks.
19:35 Beethoven2: good patience there
19:35 westbaystars: You can watch in Manila but not the U.S.? That's amazing.
19:35 Dave R: bases loaded again
19:35 torakichi: Bases loaded for the second time this inning.
19:35 torakichi: Fujii up.
19:35 torakichi: 1st pitch: straight down the middle. Strike!
19:35 torakichi: 1S 0B
19:35 Dave R: Yes, the Philippine cable providers carry NHK World.
19:36 torakichi: Same pitch, same result.
19:36 torakichi: Perhaps slightly wider.
19:36 torakichi: 3rd pitch: Slow one. Not bad, but called ball.
19:36 torakichi: 2S 1B
19:36 torakichi: Bases loaded, 2 outs.
19:36 Christopher: Most of Asia Pac carries NHK World
19:37 torakichi: Bam! The ball zips away... to foul ground.
19:37 torakichi: Yoshikawa to Fujii...
19:37 torakichi: Another wobbly one, Fujii just gets some wood to it.
19:37 torakichi: Count remains2S 1B
19:38 torakichi: Ball inside! 2-2.
19:38 torakichi: Next pitch: Low!
19:38 torakichi: 2 out, bases loaded, full count.
19:39 torakichi: Rookie Yoshikawa to Fujii
19:39 torakichi: Outside... Fujii swings, *just* reaches it.
19:39 westbaystars: "If Fujii hits the ball, he'll be a lucky boy."
19:39 torakichi: Fastball, low, Fujii fouls it off.
19:40 westbaystars: "If Yoshikawa get him, he'll be a lucky boy."
19:40 westbaystars: ... said the NHK announcers.
19:40 torakichi: Yoshikawa to Fujii 10th pitch
19:40 torakichi: It's high!
19:40 westbaystars: 押し出し。
19:40 torakichi: Chunichi score on a walk.
19:41 westbaystars: That looks like it for Yoshikawa.
19:41 torakichi: The youngster looed scared before throwing that lest one.
19:41 miesque: Big BB.
19:41 torakichi: Barry Bonds?
19:41 torakichi: (Joke)
19:42 Beethoven2: Who? LOL
19:42 Dave R: Hillman didn't go to the mound for the change, the pitching coach did.
19:42 miesque: mistake it
19:42 Dave R: Though Hillman spoke to the umpire as the coach was heading out.
19:43 westbaystars: Oshimoto comes in to pitch.
19:43 torakichi: The Fighters are going to have to do sometihng pretty special now. A 4-0 deficit when you're facing Nakata...
19:43 westbaystars: Oshimoto threw in 36 games over the regular season, with 2 wins, 1 loss, and a 4.60 ERA over 47 innings pitched.
19:44 westbaystars: He had a WHIP of 1.51.
19:44 torakichi: Nakamura's hit was the only one of the inning, yet the Dragons score 3.
19:44 Beethoven2: Good thing it's two out
19:44 westbaystars: Like Nippon Ham scoring 3 on 1 hit in the first against Kawakami yesterday.
19:44 torakichi: Oshimoto to... Araki?
19:45 torakichi: 1st pitch: ball.
19:45 westbaystars: Walks kill.
19:45 Beethoven2: Yep, it's a big lead!
19:45 torakichi: Araki hits to short... for the out.
19:45 torakichi: The Fighters will be glad to see that inning over.
19:45 westbaystars: Can I get a quick recap of what happened in the first?
19:46 torakichi: 3 runs scored on just one hit, but numerous walks
19:46 torakichi: 1st: Hit off 1st pitch...
19:46 westbaystars: That was this inning. I see Araki and Ibata with hits, then a sacrifice fly.
19:46 torakichi: Steal by Araki...
19:46 torakichi: (Sorry, can't keep up)
19:47 torakichi: Base hit to Ibata...
19:47 westbaystars: So Chunichi has started the running game against Takahashi? That's interesting.
19:47 shin: 4-0 to Chunichi?
19:47 torakichi: Araki scored off the sac fly.
19:47 westbaystars: ---
19:47 westbaystars: Bottom of 4th
19:47 westbaystars: ---
19:48 westbaystars: Inaba leads off the Fighters' half of the 4th.
19:48 westbaystars: 0 for 3 so far in the Series.
19:48 Beethoven2: Hi shin...Yes
19:48 westbaystars: Takes ball one inside from Nakata.
19:48 shin: thanks!
19:48 westbaystars: The second offering misses down low. Two balls.
19:48 torakichi: Perhaps the running game was more to rile Glynn than anything else.
19:48 westbaystars: Third offering, misses low and in, ball three.
19:49 Beethoven2: you're welcom
19:49 westbaystars: Fourth offering by Nakata is down the middle, taken all the way for strike one.
19:49 westbaystars: The fifth pitch is lifted to shallow center field.
19:49 westbaystars: Araki goes out, and makes the catch in front of Fujii and Lee gathering.
19:49 westbaystars: One away here in the bottom of the 4th.
19:50 westbaystars: That brings up Seguignol, yesterday's co-hero.
19:50 torakichi: Bam!
19:50 torakichi: He's done it again!
19:50 westbaystars: He swings at the first pitch, lifted deep to left-center.
19:50 westbaystars: Haittaaaaaa! Home run,.
19:50 westbaystars: That's Seggy's second home run of the Series.
19:51 westbaystars: But, the Fighters are still down 4-1.
19:51 Beethoven2: Wow!
19:51 torakichi: Looked like a fork ball. Sunk a bit, but Seggy doesn't care. Kapow!
19:51 westbaystars: Two down.
19:51 Dave R: A pitcher can afford to give the odd dinger up if he keeps the bases empty...
19:52 westbaystars: Kudoh takes the first pitch for ball one.
19:52 westbaystars: The second offering is swung on and fouled off to the left side and out of play.
19:53 westbaystars: Looks like Nakata has walked one and hit a batter so far.
19:53 Beethoven2: correct
19:53 westbaystars: Two more pitches, count is even at 2 and 2.
19:53 westbaystars: Kudoh fouls the next pitch off of Tanishige's mask. Count remains 2-2.
19:54 westbaystars: The next offering is swung on and missed, the ball up and a little away.
19:54 westbaystars: That retires the side for the Fighters in the fourth.
19:54 westbaystars: But not before Seguignol puts the Fighters on the board with a home run just left of center.
19:54 westbaystars: At the end of four complete, the Dragons lead this one by a score of 4-1.
19:54 westbaystars: ---
19:54 westbaystars: Top of 5th
19:55 westbaystars: ---
19:55 westbaystars: The scoreboard reads 4 runs on 3 hit and no errors for Chunichi.
19:55 westbaystars: 1 run on 1 hit and no errors for Nippon Ham.
19:56 westbaystars: Nakata's first hit was Seguignol's home run.
19:56 westbaystars: ... first hit allowed, that is.
19:56 torakichi: Still Oshimoto?
19:56 westbaystars: Ibata leads off the fifth for the Dragons.
19:56 torakichi: It appears so.
19:57 westbaystars: He grounds the second pitch to Koyano at third.
19:57 westbaystars: Koyano throws across the diamond for out number one.
19:57 westbaystars: Yes, Oshimoto still on the mound.
19:57 westbaystars: That brings up Morino, who's sacrifice fly in the first drew first blood.
19:57 westbaystars: He takes the first offering from Oshimoto for a called strike one.
19:58 westbaystars: The next offering is lifted to left-center.
19:58 westbaystars: But right to where Kudoh is playing him.
19:58 westbaystars: Kudoh takes a step in to make the catch for out number two.
19:58 westbaystars: Four pitches and two outs for Oshimoto here in the fifth.
19:58 westbaystars: And that brings up Woods.
19:58 westbaystars: Woods grounded into a double play and walked so far tonight.
19:59 westbaystars: 0 for 4 for the Series so far.
19:59 westbaystars: Takahashi sets up inside, and the pitch is insided, fouled back toward the NHK announcers.
19:59 westbaystars: That was strike two to Woods.
19:59 Christopher: That foul just missed the commentators
20:00 westbaystars: The next offering looked awfully good - maybe a little low on the outside corner.
20:00 westbaystars: Woods takes it for ball one.
20:00 torakichi: A couple of innings ago, the commentators talked about how Woods is using different coloured bats...
20:00 torakichi: *Anything* to get a hit, a run, get into some form.
20:00 westbaystars: The fourth offering misses well outside and low to bring the count even at 2 and 2.
20:00 westbaystars: And the 2-2 pitch is just a shade outside, but swung on and missed for strike three.
20:01 westbaystars: The Dragons go down in order for the third time tonight here in the fifth.
20:01 westbaystars: ---
20:01 westbaystars: Bottom of 5th
20:01 westbaystars: ---
20:03 westbaystars: Koyano leads off the Fighters' half of the fifth.
20:04 westbaystars: Nakata has been throwing on average 10 pitches per inning through the first four.
20:04 westbaystars: Goes full count to Koyano. That's half his pitches for the inning.
20:05 westbaystars: The shoubu pitch is reached for and pulled up the third base side.
20:05 westbaystars: Tanishige does a great job getting to the ball and throwing Koyano out by half a step.
20:06 westbaystars: That brings up Inada, 0 for 3 for the Series.
20:06 westbaystars: Takes the first pitch for strike one.
20:06 westbaystars: The second offering is a high bounder to the left side.
20:06 westbaystars: Nakata fields the ball when it comes down, fires to first, in time.
20:06 torakichi: Was that a replay?
20:06 westbaystars: Two down.
20:06 torakichi: Sure looked like it...
20:07 westbaystars: Well, the first one was a slow dribbler, the second a high one bounder off the front of the plate.
20:07 Old cat: tactics?
20:07 westbaystars: Kaneko takes the first offering up high for ball one.
20:07 westbaystars: The second pitch is lifted to center field.
20:07 torakichi: Pow! Arrrrrrgh, not long enough!
20:07 westbaystars: Fujii goes back, but stops well in front of the warning track.
20:07 westbaystars: Waits, and takes the ball in for out number three.
20:08 westbaystars: The Fighters are retired in order for the second time this evening.
20:08 westbaystars: I don't think those grounders to the left side were a tactic.
20:08 westbaystars: More like not well hit balls.
20:08 westbaystars: Nonetheless, at the end of five complete, the Dragons lead this one by a score of 4-1.
20:08 westbaystars: ---
20:08 westbaystars: Top of 6th
20:09 westbaystars: ---
20:10 Firearm: hey all
20:10 Firearm: I just woke up :P
20:10 Dave R: The Fighters only have three hits for the entire series.
20:10 Dave R: All runs have been off Seguignol homers.
20:10 westbaystars: ===
20:10 westbaystars: === Update:
20:11 Firearm: and yet they're still up in the series 1-0--it's been that kinda season for the Fighters
20:11 westbaystars: === Dragons score in the first as Araki and Ibata have back to back hits, with a stolen base in between.
20:11 Beethoven2: Hi Firearm!
20:11 westbaystars: === Then Araki scores on a sacrifice fly by Morino.
20:12 westbaystars: === The Dragons score 3 more in the 4th on 3 consecutive walks, then a 2-run double by Nori off the right field wall.
20:12 westbaystars: --- Followed by a pair of walk, the second one walking in a run.
20:12 westbaystars: === The Fighters strike back with a solo shot by Seguignol.
20:13 westbaystars: Tatsunami lifts the ball to right field, where Inaba camps under the ball and takes it in for out number one.
20:13 westbaystars: Here in the top of the 6th.
20:13 westbaystars: Nakamura, who had the timely double, stands in with the bases empty.
20:13 westbaystars: === Glynn melted down after not getting a number of corner calls.
20:14 westbaystars: Nori grounds the ball up the middle and through, base hit.
20:14 westbaystars: The Dragons have a one out base runner aboard.
20:14 torakichi: Big swing from Nori. Base hit to center.
20:14 westbaystars: That brings up Lee.
20:15 Firearm: only 50 pitches through 5 for Nakata... nice.
20:15 torakichi: Bam!!!!!!!!!!!!!
20:15 westbaystars: Lee is 0 for 5 in the Series, fouled out and grounded out to second so far.
20:15 westbaystars: But he lauches the first offering from Oshimoto into the right field stands.
20:15 westbaystars: No doubt about that one.
20:15 westbaystars: Haittaaaaaaaa!.
20:15 westbaystars: And the Dragons add two more to take a 6-1 lead.
20:15 Firearm: I'd prefer not to see Hirai or Okamoto pitch in this series--Nakata straight to Iwase!
20:15 torakichi: Lee rockets that one flat into the crowd.
20:16 Firearm: man, what the hell has gotten into Lee this postseason?!
20:16 westbaystars: That brings up Tanishige.
20:16 torakichi: Firearm: How 'bout a kanto?
20:16 Firearm: he's been terrible for most of the year (offensively), but has come up with several timely hits in all 3 stages of the p
20:16 Firearm: playoffs
20:16 westbaystars: Tanishige is 0 for 3 in the Series, flew out to right and walked so far tonight.
20:16 torakichi: A kanto with a different result from yesterday, of course.
20:17 westbaystars: I didn't think that this Lee was a home run hitter. I thought his specialty was average.
20:17 westbaystars: Tanishige goes down swinging for out number two.
20:17 westbaystars: Fujii shows bunt, takes the first pitch for strike one.
20:18 westbaystars: Second offering swung on and missed. Two quick strikes on Fujii.
20:18 Beethoven2: what's a kanto?
20:18 Firearm: Westbay, he hit about .260 after flirting with the Mendoza Line earlier this year
20:18 westbaystars: Third offering is thrown to the backstop.
20:18 westbaystars: No, fouled to the backstop.
20:18 Firearm: he's been pretty good defensively, though--possibly a wash with Alex Ochoa
20:18 westbaystars: Count remains two strikes, no balls.
20:19 westbaystars: Takahashi sets up outside, and the waste pitch is low and away.
20:19 westbaystars: Next pitch misses up high and in. That evens the count at 2 and 2.
20:19 westbaystars: And the next offering is called strike three.
20:19 westbaystars: The side is retired.
20:20 westbaystars: But a base hit and home run by Lee increased the Dragons' lead to 6-1.
20:20 westbaystars: I know that Lee really struggled with his batting average early in the year.
20:20 westbaystars: But I thought that his batting average was his selling point.
20:21 westbaystars: ---
20:21 westbaystars: Bottom of 6th
20:21 westbaystars: ---
20:21 Firearm: yep, he was even demoted to ni-gun at one point
20:21 torakichi: Kanto: complete game.
20:22 westbaystars: What I'd read in the Korean press seemed to be mixed. Many expected him to fail with his odd batting stance.
20:22 Beethoven2: Thanks!
20:22 westbaystars: Others praised Ochiai for letting him do what he does.
20:22 westbaystars: Morimoto leads off the bottom of the sixth for the Fighters.
20:23 Old cat: Ochiai seems to be good at that sort of thing
20:23 westbaystars: 完投 = complete game. 関東 = Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama area.
20:23 westbaystars: Both spelled "kanto."
20:23 westbaystars: Morimoto grounds the ball to the left side.
20:24 westbaystars: It goes under Nori's glove, fielded by Ibata.
20:24 westbaystars: Ibata's throw is *just* a fraction of a second too late.
20:24 westbaystars: Lead off man is aboard for the Fighters here in the 6th.
20:24 westbaystars: That brings up Kensuke Tanaka.
20:25 Firearm: oh great, Morimoto's on and Kensuke has to swing away
20:25 westbaystars: Nakamura fields the ball on a short hop.
20:25 Beethoven2: interesting, thanks westbaystars-san
20:25 westbaystars: His only play it to first.
20:25 westbaystars: And he gets Tanaka by a step.
20:26 westbaystars: I first thought that Torakichi-san was referring to a college game.
20:26 westbaystars: Kanto Gakkuin has a pretty good club.
20:27 torakichi: Sorry for the ambiguity, folks.
20:27 torakichi: Can the Ham Fighters turn this into a rally?
20:27 westbaystars: Japanese is full of ambiguity. Not to worry.
20:27 westbaystars: Ibata works the count to 2 and 2.
20:27 Firearm: Masafumi Hirai's not pitching, so no
20:28 Dave R: Seguignol on deck for the Fighters
20:28 westbaystars: A 2-2 pitch lifted to center.
20:29 westbaystars: Fujii goes back, and in front of the warning tack line makes the catch.
20:29 westbaystars: Morimoto touches up at second, and advances to third ahead of the throw.
20:29 westbaystars: Runner at third with two down and Seguignol coming to the plate.
20:29 torakichi: Oh? Hit? Hit? Ahhh, no. Runner to third, tho.
20:29 torakichi: Can Nippon Ham even the score?
20:29 westbaystars: As someone mentioned earlier, all of the Fighters' runs have been off the bat of Seguignol.
20:30 Firearm: 2 outs, thankfully
20:30 westbaystars: Tanishige has a short word with Nakata.
20:30 westbaystars: Will they walk him?
20:30 westbaystars: Seggy is 2 for 4 with 2 home runs.
20:30 westbaystars: And the first pitch is down the middle!
20:30 Old cat: I don't think so
20:30 westbaystars: Taken for strike one.
20:30 westbaystars: The one place Seggy didn't expect a pitch?
20:30 Dave R: I was about to type that myself (walk).
20:30 westbaystars: The second offering misses low and inside. 1 and 1.
20:31 westbaystars: Second offering is low, but Seguignol fails to hold his swing.
20:31 westbaystars: Strike two.
20:31 westbaystars: Trying to hold up, Seggy kind of tossed his bat from one hand to the other in mid swing.
20:31 Firearm: probably the fork--Nakata usually throws that into the dirt
20:32 westbaystars: Fourth offering misses high and in. 2 and 2.
20:32 westbaystars: Next offering is down the middle.
20:32 westbaystars: Swung on and fouled off to the left side.
20:32 westbaystars: Seguignol expecting the fork and swung just under it maybe?
20:33 westbaystars: 2-2 offering, straight, up and down the middle, fouled off again.
20:33 Dave R: Will Seguignol play the field in Nagoya? No DH in the Central League.
20:33 westbaystars: 2-2 offering again, fork is grounded bast the first base coach, foul.
20:34 westbaystars: Nakata is challenging Seguignol.
20:34 torakichi: This at-bat is a great match-up.
20:34 Firearm: Dave, he played 1st last year
20:34 westbaystars: Next offering misses up high, ball three.
20:34 westbaystars: Full count with two down to Seguignol, with a runner at third.
20:34 torakichi: Don't think Nakata meant to pitch it that high.
20:35 westbaystars: 9th offering is fouled off and out of play to the left side.
20:35 westbaystars: Seggy is batting Nakata.
20:35 Dave R: It worked for Ortiz against the Rockies. He made a couple of neat plays at 1st.
20:35 westbaystars: 10th pitch to Seguignol is swung on and lined right to Ibata playing behind the second base bag.
20:36 westbaystars: The Seggy Shift worked out there.
20:36 Firearm: sweet!
20:36 westbaystars: So the Fighters get a runner as far as third, but fail to bring him home.
20:36 torakichi: Important battle for Nakata to win.
20:36 westbaystars: At the end of six complete, the Dragons lead this one 6-1.
20:36 westbaystars: ---
20:37 westbaystars: Top of 7th
20:37 westbaystars: ---
20:37 westbaystars: Nakata didn't back down. He just kept on going after Seguignol, despite the home run last time.
20:37 westbaystars: Kikuchi takes the mound for the Fighters this inning.
20:38 westbaystars: He only threw in 1 game during the regular season, 2 innings, not allowing a run.
20:38 westbaystars: He allowed 1 hit and walked 1 during those 2 innings.
20:39 westbaystars: The one game he threw in was on October 2nd against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
20:39 Firearm: Seggy will come up at least once more, will he face Nakata?
20:39 westbaystars: He faces the top of the Dragons' order in Araki.
20:39 westbaystars: Kikuchi's first offering is taken for strike one.
20:39 westbaystars: Nakata's last couple of innings saw a lot of pitches.
20:40 westbaystars: Araki lines the ball over a jumping Kaneko into left field, base hit.
20:40 westbaystars: The lead off man is aboard for the Dragons in the top of the seventh.
20:40 westbaystars: That brings up Ibata.
20:41 Firearm: still, 71 thru 6--if he keeps the Fighters off the scoreboard he should be good for at least 2 more
20:41 westbaystars: Ibata is 2 for 7 in the Series so far, including a hit in the first that setup the Dragons' first run.
20:42 westbaystars: Araki swipes second without a throw.
20:42 westbaystars: He had a huuuuuuge lead.
20:42 torakichi: Araki steals. Second steal tonight.
20:42 westbaystars: Actually, Kawakami just thew 107 pitches last night (8 innings.)
20:43 westbaystars: Ibata bunts the ball too hard.
20:43 Firearm: what does Japan get for free after that stolen base?
20:43 westbaystars: Kikuchi looks Araki back and throws to first.
20:43 westbaystars: Sacrifice failed.
20:43 westbaystars: Runner at second, one out.
20:44 westbaystars: Morino at the plate with a 1-1 count.
20:45 westbaystars: Third offering misses away, ball two.
20:45 westbaystars: Fourth pitch is lifted to right field.
20:45 westbaystars: Going, going,
20:45 westbaystars: Haittaaaaaaaaaa!
20:45 westbaystars: Mr. Three Run hits a 2-run home run.
20:45 torakichi: It's long, long, looooong!
20:45 westbaystars: That puts the Dragons up 8-1.
20:45 Firearm: And boom goes the dynamite!
20:46 torakichi: That one had "fly" written all over it - how'd it reach the stands?
20:46 shin: yeees
20:47 Firearm: Sapporo Dome air conditioning fans
20:47 westbaystars: Woods up to bat.
20:47 westbaystars: Two quick strikes on the Dragons' slugger.
20:47 torakichi: What can Woods do?
20:47 Firearm: they forgot to reverse the direction
20:47 westbaystars: The next offering is grounded up the middle, base hit.
20:47 torakichi: There ya go! A hit.
20:47 westbaystars: That was Woods' first hit of the Series.
20:47 Firearm: finally!
20:47 westbaystars: Fork ball hung up there a little too long.
20:48 westbaystars: Will that break Woods out for the remainder of the Series?
20:48 westbaystars: Tatsunami is still hitless as he stands in.
20:48 westbaystars: And takes the first pitch for a strike.
20:48 westbaystars: The first hit is the hardest, sometimes.
20:48 Firearm: I still think the Fighters will win this series, but...
20:48 westbaystars: The next pitch bounces behind Takahashi.
20:48 Firearm: ...if the Dragons win, someone needs to inform Bill Simmons of the 2007 Dragons (Ewing Theory)
20:49 westbaystars: Woods heads over to second before Takahashi can get the ball.
20:49 westbaystars: Runner at second, one out. Two runs in so far this inning.
20:49 westbaystars: Do you have a URL to this Ewing Theory?
20:49 westbaystars: Next offering is grounded to the left side.
20:50 westbaystars: Kaneko goes for the easy out at first, allowing Woods to advance to third.
20:50 Firearm: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1193711
20:50 shin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewing_Theory#Ewing_Theory
20:50 Firearm: trust me, it applies to Kosuke
20:50 Dave R: All in all, a sloppy night for Fighters pitchers.
20:50 westbaystars: 2 for 3 Nakamura comes up to bat.
20:50 Dave R: Has anyone kept count of the number of walks they've issued?
20:51 westbaystars: Nori had a 2-run double in the 4th inning.
20:51 westbaystars: I'll have to read those after the game. Kind of busy right now.
20:51 westbaystars: Thanks.
20:51 westbaystars: Nakata has given up just 1 walk and hit a batter.
20:52 Firearm: of course, that article doesn't have the ultimate Ewing Theory example
20:52 westbaystars: Glynn walked 3, Yoshikawa walked 2.
20:52 westbaystars: After that, Oshimoto and Kikuchi have been clean.
20:52 Firearm: Drew Bledsoe (Tom Brady comes in for him and they win 3 of 4 Super Bowls)
20:53 westbaystars: Shoubu pitch to Nori is fouled off of Takahashi's shin guard.
20:53 westbaystars: Count remains full.
20:53 westbaystars: Next offering misses high and tight, knocking Nakamura down.
20:53 westbaystars: Takahashi appeals to the first base umpire that Nori swung.
20:54 westbaystars: Nori has a word to say to Takahashi about that pitch.
20:54 westbaystars: And Satoh-pitching coach comes out, with Hillman-kantoku on his tail.
20:54 westbaystars: Kikuchi is done.
20:54 westbaystars: He threw 22 pitches, allowed 3 hits, walked 1 while striking out none.
20:54 westbaystars: That will bring in Yamamoto.
20:55 westbaystars: Kazunori threw in 12 games this season, starting 2.
20:55 westbaystars: He had no wins, 1 loss, allowing 16 earned runs in 21.1 innings for a 6.75 ERA.
20:55 Firearm: OH NO NOT MASA--oh wait wrong team
20:56 westbaystars: WHIP of 1.50, walking 12 and allowing 2 home runs while striking out 15.
20:57 westbaystars: Yamamoto misses with his first two pitches.
20:58 westbaystars: And the third offering misses high and away.
20:58 westbaystars: The rookie gets a called strike one gift up high from the home plate umpire.
20:59 westbaystars: The next offering is lifted to foul territory up the third base side.
20:59 westbaystars: There's a lot of space there as Koyano goes over.
20:59 Firearm: heh, the magic strike on 3-0?
20:59 westbaystars: And Koyano pulls the ball in for out number three.
20:59 westbaystars: But again, it's the long ball for the Dragons that add two more to the scoreboard.
21:00 westbaystars: Going to the Fighters' Lucky Seven, Nippon Ham finds themselves trailing by a score of 1-8.
21:00 westbaystars: ---
21:00 westbaystars: Bottom of 7th
21:00 westbaystars: ---
21:01 westbaystars: Nakata has thrown 72 pitches, allowing just 2 hits, striking out 2, walking 1, and hitting one so far.
21:01 westbaystars: His first pitch of the inning to #5 batting Takahashi misses low and away, ball one.
21:02 westbaystars: Nakata misses again. Two balls to Takahashi.
21:02 westbaystars: The third offering is fouled off toward the first base dugout.
21:03 westbaystars: Fourth offering is fouled back to even the count at 2 and 2.
21:03 westbaystars: Nakata's fifth pitch is grounded up the middle.
21:04 westbaystars: The ball changes course, or is slowed, as hit hits the pitcher's mound.
21:04 westbaystars: And that's just enough for Ibata to get to it and throw Takahashi out at first.
21:04 westbaystars: Ibata has incredible reaction time.
21:04 Firearm: whew!
21:04 westbaystars: Two quick strikes to Kudoh.
21:04 westbaystars: With the high knickers showing all black calves.
21:05 westbaystars: After fouling one back, Kudoh lifts the ball just right of center.
21:05 westbaystars: Fujii comes over and plays the ball off a bound or two.
21:05 westbaystars: And Kudoh heads into second!
21:06 westbaystars: The throw is not in time, safe.
21:06 westbaystars: Kudoh doubles to center with one out.
21:06 torakichi: Man, he's quick.
21:06 westbaystars: That bring up pinch hitter Koda.
21:06 westbaystars: It seems like a lot of those players who wear their knickers high have speed.
21:07 westbaystars: After taking a pitch in the dirt, Koda fouls the second offering out of play to the left side. 1 and 1.
21:08 westbaystars: The third offering, high and away, is swung on and missed. Two strikes and a ball.
21:08 Firearm: ok, so there's one Yamamoto per team, one Oda per team...
21:08 westbaystars: Nakata's fourth pitch, outside, is swung on and missed, strike three.
21:08 Firearm: (except for the Dragons, if all goes well neither their Yamamoto nor their Oda will see the field)
21:08 westbaystars: That's just Nakata's 3rd strike out of the night.
21:09 westbaystars: That brings up Inada.
21:09 westbaystars: Oh, that was "Oda" - not "Koda" - thanks.
21:09 torakichi: The TV commentary team is lauding Nakata's control this late in the game. Quite right.
21:10 westbaystars: Inada grounds the ball to Nakamura at third.
21:10 westbaystars: The throw across the diamond is in plenty of time.
21:10 westbaystars: And the Fighters are retired in the 7th.
21:10 Firearm: maybe Nakata will go the distance after all
21:11 Firearm: he probably won't pitch again until next Saturday, if needed
21:11 westbaystars: After seven complete, the the Dragons lead this one by a commanding 8-1 lead.
21:11 westbaystars: ---
21:11 westbaystars: Top of 8th
21:11 westbaystars: ---
21:12 westbaystars: Mori-pitching coach is talking with Nakata in the first base dugout.
21:12 westbaystars: He's still well under 100 pitches.
21:13 westbaystars: Tanishige lines the first pitch to right where Inaba makes a squatting catch for out number one.
21:13 westbaystars: One pitch, one out here in the 8th.
21:13 westbaystars: That brings up Fujii, 0 for 4 in the Series.
21:13 westbaystars: Oda stays in the game at first.
21:14 westbaystars: Somebody else is in at third.
21:14 westbaystars: Fujii lifts the ball to left-center.
21:15 westbaystars: But again, Kudoh has him played perfectly and takes the ball in for out number two.
21:15 westbaystars: Back to the top of the order in Araki.
21:15 westbaystars: Who takes the first pitch for strike one.
21:15 westbaystars: Nakata starts throwing outside the first base side dugout.
21:15 westbaystars: Araki lines the ball toward right center.
21:15 westbaystars: Morimoto comes dashing in to make the catch.
21:16 westbaystars: And the Dragons are retired in order for the first time since the 5th.
21:16 torakichi: Nice running catch by Morimoto. It looked like it was going to drop in front of him.
21:16 Firearm: "Who takes the first pitch for strike one"--Jim Neidhart came in for Araki?
21:16 westbaystars: Third time this game.
21:16 westbaystars: Going to the bottom of the 8th, the FIghters trail by 7: 1-8.
21:16 westbaystars: ---
21:16 westbaystars: Bottom of 8th
21:16 westbaystars: ---
21:17 westbaystars: Nakata takes the mound for the Dragons in the 8th.
21:18 torakichi: TV Osaka have just shown fielding highlights. Goes without saying, but these teams are pretty sprightly in the field.
21:18 Firearm: Inada, Kaneko, Morimoto
21:18 westbaystars: A sea of red fills the stands as the fans hold up colored cards.
21:18 westbaystars: Kaneko leads off the Fighters' half of the 8th taking strike one on the inside corner.
21:18 Firearm: that's what these teams are all about, defense and breaking hearts (copyright Torii Hunter)
21:18 westbaystars: Nakata's second offering misses in side evening the count at 1 adn 1.
21:19 Firearm: oh, my bad, Inada was the last out last inning
21:20 westbaystars: Today's Nikkan Sports had that great scooping, diving throw by Araki in consecutive photos.
21:20 torakichi: Kaneko swung at *that*?!
21:20 westbaystars: Only YouTube could show it better.
21:20 torakichi: Yeah, good fielding is a pleasure to watch.
21:20 westbaystars: Whoops, I missed it.
21:20 westbaystars: What happened to Kaneko?
21:21 westbaystars: Morimoto comes to the plate.
21:21 torakichi: Nakata threw one in the dirt, but Kaneko took a big, fat, eyes-closed swing.
21:22 westbaystars: Morimoto lifts a 2 strike, 1 ball pitch to the right side, but foul.
21:22 FirearmofMutiny: someone actually bit on Nakata's forkball?
21:22 westbaystars: So Kaneko becomes strike out victum #4 for Nakata.
21:23 westbaystars: And Morimoto #5, swinging and missing a fork ball in the dirt outside.
21:23 westbaystars: Is Nakata getting better as the game goes on?
21:23 westbaystars: Tanaka fouls the first pitch off himself. Strike one.
21:24 westbaystars: The second offering is taken low and inside, 1 and 1.
21:24 westbaystars: A big swing and a miss puts Kensuke in the hole, 2 strikes and a ball.
21:24 westbaystars: The fourth offering is fouled off and out of play to the left side.
21:24 FirearmofMutiny: Who will the Fighters bring in for Game 3?
21:25 westbaystars: Hasegawa.
21:25 FirearmofMutiny: the Dragons will probably have Kenta Asakura go, but it could also be Daisuke Yamai
21:25 westbaystars: The next pitch is grounded to the right side.
21:25 westbaystars: Sure handed Araki makes the easy plays look as easy as the hard ones.
21:25 westbaystars: And the Fighters are retired in order in the 8th.
21:26 westbaystars: Down to one last at bat, the Fighters find themselves down 8-1.
21:26 westbaystars: ---
21:26 westbaystars: Top of 9th
21:26 westbaystars: ---
21:26 torakichi: Nakata certainly does seem to be getting better as the game progresses.
21:26 westbaystars: Are the Fighters getting more deparate to hit the ball?
21:26 westbaystars: That's why they're swinging at the forks in the dirt?
21:27 FirearmofMutiny: probably... down 7, they have to get something going
21:27 Beethoven2: it seems that way, we haven't seen a full count in a while.
21:27 FirearmofMutiny: of course, their minds have probably already shifted to Nagoya (and the Dragons have probably done the same)
21:27 westbaystars: The Dragons seem to have a lot of options for tomorrow's start.
21:28 westbaystars: Hagiwara comes in to pitch the 9th for the Fighters.
21:28 FirearmofMutiny: yep, I didn't even count Takashi Ogasawara
21:28 Beethoven2: Does Nagoya favor any side in a Home Team sense?
21:28 westbaystars: The first batter he faces is #2 batting Ibata.
21:29 westbaystars: First pitch to Ibata is fouled off and out of play to the right side.
21:29 westbaystars: Hagiwara threw in just 5 games over the past season.
21:29 FirearmofMutiny: the Dragons have been near unbeatable at home (or, at least, better at home than any other team)
21:29 westbaystars: 1 win, no losses, 1 hold, 5.63 ERA.
21:29 FirearmofMutiny: but the Fighters swept the Dragons at Nagoya Dome earlier this season
21:29 westbaystars: That in 8 innings pitched.
21:30 westbaystars: Ibata grounds teh fourth offering to first base.
21:30 westbaystars: And many fans start heading for the exist.
21:30 FirearmofMutiny: (without Darvish, might I add)
21:30 Beethoven2: who brings the most fans to Nagoya? Fighters or Dragons?
21:30 westbaystars: First pitch to Morino misses up high.
21:31 FirearmofMutiny: heh, good luck getting through those narrow walkways to the subway station
21:31 westbaystars: Morino drove in three runs tonight, a sacrifice fly in the first and a 2-run home run in the 7th.
21:31 FirearmofMutiny: Dragons--the only away team that can bring in something close to majority is Hanshin
21:31 westbaystars: I would say that the Fighters have the better home field advantage.
21:32 westbaystars: The fans in Sapporo out number the visitors by a huge margin.
21:32 FirearmofMutiny: whenever I talk about the Fighters and fan support, I always drop the Packers bomb
21:33 FirearmofMutiny: (I mean come on, great fans, region of the country famous for beer, sponsored by a meat packing company)
21:33 westbaystars: Full count pitch is fouled off and out of play to the left side.
21:34 westbaystars: Shoubu pitch again, and it's lined deep but foul up the first base side.
21:34 westbaystars: One more time - taken low, ball four.
21:34 FirearmofMutiny: Morino's in a nice battle here
21:34 Beethoven3: Thanks, Guys! :]
21:35 westbaystars: An appeal to the third base umpire says that Morino didn't swing.
21:35 torakichi: Ooooh, that was a close call. Could've gone either way.
21:35 westbaystars: Runner at first, one out, Woods at the plate.
21:35 westbaystars: Woods finally broke through with a hit his last at bat.
21:35 westbaystars: Takes the first pitch at the knees for strike one.
21:36 westbaystars: Second offering catches the outside part of the plate. Two quick strikes on Woods.
21:36 westbaystars: The third offering is over the outside corner, pulled to Kaneko at short by Woods.
21:37 westbaystars: Three down.
21:37 westbaystars: Going to the Fighters' last chance, they trail 8-1.
21:37 westbaystars: ---
21:37 westbaystars: Bottom of 9th
21:37 westbaystars: ---
21:37 torakichi: Woods just can't seem to get much going in this series. Perhaps returning to Nagoya will help?
21:37 westbaystars: Both Ochiai-kantoku and Mori-pitching coach come out.
21:37 westbaystars: We have a pitching change.
21:37 westbaystars: Ishii comes in to pitch for the Dragons.
21:38 shin: I sure hope Woods can do more at Nagoya
21:39 westbaystars: Yuya threw in 16 games during the 2007 season, winning 2, losing 2, and holding 4 games with a 2.95 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.
21:39 westbaystars: Perhaps facing Central League pitching would help. The Pacific League, and especially the Fighters, have the pitchers.
21:40 westbaystars: Ishii faces Inaba leading off.
21:40 westbaystars: Nakamura comes around to first.
21:40 westbaystars: Morino comes in to play third.
21:40 westbaystars: And Inoue comes in to play left.
21:40 westbaystars: Woods coming out of the game.
21:41 westbaystars: Yukio Tanaka on deck to pinch hit.
21:41 westbaystars: Was it Deanna who said last year, "it isn't a loss without Yukio getting an at bat"?
21:42 westbaystars: Inaba works the count even at 2 and 2.
21:43 westbaystars: Inaba ground the ball up the middle.
21:43 westbaystars: It's off of Ishii's glove.
21:43 westbaystars: Deflected to Araki, who thrown Inaba out for out number one.
21:43 westbaystars: Ochiai-kantoku comes out of the dugout.
21:43 westbaystars: And asks for the ball.
21:43 westbaystars: Pitching change already?
21:44 westbaystars: Yes.
21:44 westbaystars: Cruz coming in.
21:44 westbaystars: Well, they do have a 7 run lead with two outs to go.
21:45 mimflyer: Ochiai is his own man, but I would have waited another batter to make the change
21:45 westbaystars: During the season, Cruz threw in 17 games, had 1 win, 3 losses, 3 holds, and a 2.66 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP.
21:46 mimflyer: Because that batter way in the dugout is the tying run.
21:46 westbaystars: He failed to get an out the last time I saw him, if I recall correctly.
21:46 westbaystars: First pitch to Yukio is called strike one on the outside corner.
21:47 westbaystars: Next offering is fouled back. Two quick strikes on the latest Meikyukai Member.
21:47 westbaystars: Third offering misses inside. Ball one.
21:48 westbaystars: A couple of foul balls. Count remains 2 strikes and a ball.
21:48 Firearm: Rafael Cruz is in? Now I'm worried.
21:48 westbaystars: Many empty seats, but the volume of the fans is as intense as ever.
21:48 westbaystars: Ball 2 outside.
21:48 westbaystars: Ball three high and tight.
21:48 westbaystars: Full count.
21:49 Firearm: yep, with Cruz in I'm worried we'll blow this lead. No, seriously.
21:49 westbaystars: Shoubu pitch is lifted high and out of play to the right side.
21:49 westbaystars: He was pretty good for the first 7 pitches or so.
21:49 westbaystars: Now he walks Tanaka with an outside pitch.
21:50 westbaystars: One out base runner is on.
21:50 westbaystars: No pinch runner?
21:50 westbaystars: Catcher Takahashi comes up.
21:50 Beethoven3: Shoubu pitch? Don't understand. :[
21:50 westbaystars: Swinging and missing Cruz's first offering.
21:51 westbaystars: Shoubu is something like "decisive."
21:51 westbaystars: 勝負 literally means win or loss.
21:51 westbaystars: The next pitch is lifted deep to right-center.
21:51 Beethoven3: Thanks!
21:51 westbaystars: And the ball goes all the way to the wall!
21:51 westbaystars: Tanaka heads into third base.
21:52 westbaystars: Takahashi has a double.
21:52 westbaystars: And Ochiai-kantoku takes his jacket off in the dugout, with a laugh on his face.
21:52 westbaystars: Cruz is done.
21:53 westbaystars: Takahashi comes in to pitch. (Not to be confused with the Takahashi that just doubled to the wall).
21:53 Firearm: and Hirai will come in to give up a 3-run homer?
21:53 Beethoven3: How many out, again?
21:53 Firearm: Takahashi's been pretty good. He usually comes in when setup man Shinya Okamoto gets into trouble
21:54 westbaystars: Akifumi threw in 25 games in 2007, winning 1, losing none, and having a 4.23 ERA in 27.2 innings.
21:54 westbaystars: 1 out. Runners at second and third.
21:54 westbaystars: Kawashima is announced as the pinch hitter.
21:55 westbaystars: And he's hit by the first pitch.
21:55 westbaystars: Bases are loaded.
21:55 westbaystars: And Ochiai-kantoku looks a bit perplexed in the first base dugout.
21:55 Firearm: bwahahaha
21:55 shin: not good
21:55 Firearm: and now, it's time to play Minnesota's favorite game, "How Will We Blow This?"
21:55 westbaystars: Ibata comes over to have a word with Takahashi.
21:56 westbaystars: Iiyama comes on to pinch hit.
21:56 westbaystars: He swings big at the first pitch up high.
21:56 westbaystars: Strike one.
21:56 westbaystars: Second offering by the left hander misses inside to the right handed pinch hitter.
21:57 westbaystars: Nakata is looking a bit nervous in the first base dugout.
21:57 westbaystars: But with Iiyama's second *big* whif, I think he can relax a bit.
21:57 torakichi: Glynn is looking despondent.
21:57 westbaystars: Fourth offering *just* misses up high over the outside corner. 2 and 2.
21:58 westbaystars: The fifth pitch is fouled back to the backstop. Iiyama finally gets wood on the ball.
21:58 westbaystars: Glynn has been glaring all game.
21:58 westbaystars: Next pitch misses outside.
21:58 westbaystars: Full count.
21:59 westbaystars: Shoubu pitch is lifted foul and out of play to the right side.
21:59 westbaystars: We'll do it all again.
21:59 westbaystars: Iiyama swings and misses the next pitch, two down.
21:59 shin: phew
22:00 Beethoven4: phew is right!
22:00 westbaystars: Tsuruoka is announced as the third pinch hitter in a row.
22:00 Firearm: Ochiai will probably change pitchers here
22:00 westbaystars: Hillman-kantoku going for brok.
22:00 torakichi: And there it is!
22:00 westbaystars: But the first pitch is grounded to the right side.
22:00 Firearm: for some reason Ochiai likes to have a different pitcher for every out of the 9th inning in a blowout
22:00 westbaystars: Never hit to the right side.
22:00 Firearm: tie series!
22:00 westbaystars: Araki up with it, and throws to first for the final out of the game.
22:01 westbaystars: As Firearm-san says, the Series is tied up 1-1.
22:01 shin: yes!
22:01 westbaystars: But the Dragons have shown their true colors, a big hitting team.
22:01 westbaystars: For the Chunichi Dragons, they scored 8 runs on 8 hits, committed no errors.
22:01 zman: This is more what I expected by the Dragons . . .
22:02 Firearm: they didn't show that all last year's series
22:02 Beethoven4: An exciting finish, it had me biting my nails! LOL
22:02 westbaystars: Nippon Ham had just 1 run on 4 hits while committing no errors.
22:02 zman: Credit to Darvish for shutting them down yesterday
22:02 Firearm: in fact, they scored as many runs today as they scored in all of last year's series
22:02 westbaystars: Cruz will do that to you.
22:02 westbaystars: Well, it's about time with that lineup.
22:02 Beethoven4: What exactly happened with that hit, was it a line drive caught?
22:03 shin: gtg now
22:03 shin: Thanks westbay san for the gamelog
22:03 Dave R: If the Fighters win a lot of 2-1 games, they might be up against the wrong team here.
22:03 westbaystars: Ochiai-kantoku had the running game going with Araki stealing two.
22:03 shin: thanks everyone for the company
22:03 torakichi: It looked to me like Chunichi did everything they needed to tonight. Upset Glynn, pitched well, ran well and...
22:03 zman: More credit to the Dragons pitching, Yahoo shows the Hammies team average at .080
22:03 westbaystars: He had the long ball going, with Lee and Morino.
22:03 torakichi: ...got that offence working.
22:03 Firearm: see you guys
22:03 Firearm: probably for game 3
22:04 Beethoven4: See you Shin, Firearm :]
22:04 westbaystars: Chunichi stranded 5 base runners, Nippon Ham 7 (despite just 4 hits).
22:05 Beethoven4: But you guys still think that the Fighters will win the next one?
22:05 torakichi: Meanwhile, now that I know what it's like, kudos to Westbaystars-san for his text commentaries.
22:05 westbaystars: Well, it's off to Nagoya Dome for Game 3 on Tuesday night.
22:05 torakichi: That takes some serious typing.
22:05 westbaystars: Nakata is called the Game Hero.
22:05 Firearm: Beethoven, it all depends on the Fighters' pitchers--it's obvious they're going to have to shut down the Dragons
22:05 Firearm: in order to win like last year
22:05 westbaystars: Throwing 106 pitches, striking out 5, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run (Seguignol's solo shot).
22:05 Beethoven4: +1 to that! Well Done, Westbaystars-san!!!! :]]
22:06 westbaystars: Walking 1 and hitting 1 batter.
22:06 westbaystars: I stated the Dragons in 5. I'm rooting for Nippon Ham, but still stand by that prediction.
22:07 zman: Four hits today for the Nippon
22:07 westbaystars: There's nothing like stepping into someone else's shoes to know what it's like, eh Torakichi?
22:08 westbaystars: That was two more hits than yesterday.
22:08 zman: Dragons in six as Darish will pitch again
22:09 westbaystars: In fact, 8 hits was double for Chunichi's hit count for the Series as well.
22:09 westbaystars: Last year Darvish and Kawakami were 1 and 1 against each other.
22:09 Beethoven4: Final score? I just want to be sure...
22:09 westbaystars: Kawakami won't fail like that again.
22:09 zman: SIx hits in two games, Hammies are as cold as the Hokkaido winter
22:10 westbaystars: (Ooo. I don't usually make predictions like that. What's come over me?)
22:10 Firearm: I said before the series that the Fighters would sweep
22:10 westbaystars: Final score: Chunic
Anyway, before getting all glossy eyed, and without any further ado, here' the transcript to Game 2:
TRANSCRIPT generated on 2007/10/28
CHATROOM 2007 Nippon Series/Game 2
15:26 tun: hi
15:26 tun: just us two?
18:05 torakichi: 2007 Nippon Series Game 2.
18:05 torakichi: For those of you in Japan, tonight's coverage is on the Tokyo TV network.
18:05 torakichi: That's TV Osaka for we in Kansai.
18:07 torakichi: Dragons' line up is same as yesterday. Starting pitcher is Nakata.
18:08 torakichi: Nippon Ham's catcher for tonight is Takahashi. Starting pitcher is... Sayuri Tominaga?
18:08 torakichi: No, wait. They've cut to commercials.
18:09 torakichi: Ah! Company.
18:09 Beethoven: Hi Torakachi-San :]
18:10 Beethoven: Will you be doing some play-by-play?
18:10 Dave R: It looks like I can get the game on NHK World. They've just cut to the Sapporo Dome.
18:10 torakichi: Evening!
18:10 Beethoven: I'm in Canada, no TV coverage here :[
18:10 Beethoven: Pleased to meet you! :]]
18:10 torakichi: Well, at the moment, all you're missing is the natinal anthem.
18:11 torakichi: Kimi-gaaaaaaaaa yo-waaaa... etc.
18:11 Dave R: I'm in the Philippines, where NHK is one of the stations on cable.
18:11 Beethoven: Um, I doubt if I would recognize it even if I heard it, sad to tell.
18:11 Beethoven: Hi Dave!
18:11 torakichi: No national anthem compares to France's.
18:12 Beethoven: Heh. Lovely melody, but bloodthirsty lyrics. :]
18:12 torakichi: Which is all very well, but who is Nippon Ham's starter?!
18:13 Beethoven: It's supposed to be Glynn
18:13 torakichi: Re: France's anthem. Yeah, makes you want to go out and kill... who was it at the time... Germans?
18:13 Beethoven: no...the aristocrats of France
18:13 Beethoven: "quen sang impur, abreuve nos sillons"
18:14 Beethoven: so that an impure blood may flow in our furrows
18:14 torakichi: Well, they'll do in a pinch.
18:14 torakichi: Aha! Yes, it's Glynn.
18:14 Dave R: NHK also showed a college baseball game this afternoon, Waseda and Keio. Keio won 1-0 in 12 innings.
18:15 0000: Hi, How is going on 2007 Nippon Series Game 2?
18:15 Dave R: Fighters have taken the field, Glynn rwsfy to start warmup throws.
18:15 Dave R: Ugh, READY to start.
18:16 Beethoven: I did a matchup informally; Dragon's pitcher Nakata looks the better of the two, to me.
18:16 0000: Thanks.
18:16 Beethoven: Hi Dave! :]
18:16 torakichi: I don't know much about Glynn, but Nakata has been very impressive this season.
18:16 torakichi: So! Here we go.
18:17 Dave R: Araki steps in for the Dragons.
18:17 Beethoven: I've been doing the Starter Pitcher Page on the forums here,
18:17 Dave R: One pitch, one single to center.
18:17 torakichi: First pitch: Slightly wide. Araki gets a hit to center.
18:18 Beethoven: Uh oh, that was quck!
18:18 torakichi: Ibata steps up to the plate.
18:18 Dave R: Ibata up now.
18:18 torakichi: Glynn throws to first, Araki is back safely.
18:19 torakichi: First pitch: Araki steals second easily.
18:19 Dave R: Araki steals 2nd base.
18:19 Beethoven: wow!
18:19 Beethoven: no outs, and a man already in scoring postion.
18:19 Dave R: 1-1 to Ibata.
18:20 torakichi: First pitch was a strike. Second pitch: low down. 1-1
18:20 Beethoven: Thanks for doing this, guys. No TV, no radio for this in Canada
18:20 torakichi: The commentators are talking about how this is a good way for Chunichi to attack Glynn.
18:21 torakichi: They say he gets frustrated.
18:21 Dave R: Glad you can translate the commentary. I can just watch the pretty pictures
18:21 torakichi: So! 0 outs, runner on 2nd...
18:21 torakichi: It's a bloop hit!
18:21 Dave R: Base hit to right field, runner held at 3rd.
18:21 torakichi: Araki to 3rd.
18:22 torakichi: Morino up.
18:23 torakichi: Glynn again to 1st. That was close, but Ibata makes it back.
18:23 Dave R: Nice pickoff move, Ibata just got back.
18:23 torakichi: Runners 1 and 3... Glynn throws to 1st *again*
18:23 torakichi: Count is still 0-0
18:24 torakichi: Morino fouls it off.
18:24 Beethoven: Sacrify fly coming?
18:24 Dave R: 2 strike count
18:25 torakichi: Argh, that was right down the middle, but Morino's not interested.
18:25 Beethoven: I meant Sacrifice fly, sorry
18:25 Dave R: another close pickoff attempt
18:25 Beethoven: caught looking eh?
18:26 Dave R: You got your sac fly. 1-0 Dragons.
18:26 Dave R: Hit to center, runner on 1st holds.
18:26 Dave R: One out.
18:26 Beethoven: Man! That's deadly! Nobody out, right?
18:26 torakichi: Here comes Woods.
18:26 Beethoven: Oh, sorry.
18:26 Dave R: Tyrone Woods up next.
18:27 Beethoven: I'll shut up for a bit. :]
18:27 torakichi: With the sac fly, that's 1 out.
18:27 Beethoven: gotcha!
18:27 torakichi: Slightly inside. Woods let's it go.
18:28 torakichi: Same ball.. hits it...
18:28 Dave R: 6-4-3 double play, side out.
18:28 torakichi: Double play!
18:28 Beethoven: Exciting inning!!!
18:29 Dave R: Dragons 1, Fighters coming to bat.
18:29 torakichi: The Hamsters have dealt with Woods really well so far.
18:30 Dave R: Nakata's warmups didn't look that great, a couple way in the dirt.
18:30 torakichi: Nakata: 14-8 this season. It seems like all of those victories were over the Tigers.
18:30 Dave R: Here's Morimoto to bat.
18:31 engrey: Hello all
18:31 torakichi: 2 strikes... waste pitch outside.
18:31 engrey: how's the score?
18:31 Dave R: count is 2S 1B
18:31 torakichi: Oh, that was in the dirt.
18:31 Dave R: 1-0 Dragons, bottom 1st
18:32 torakichi: Score: Dragons 1 Ham Fighters 0
18:32 engrey: thanks
18:32 Dave R: groundout 6-3
18:33 torakichi: Nakata claims not to be nervous. The fearlessness of youth?
18:33 torakichi: Nakata is going inside against Tanaka.
18:33 torakichi: Hits high to left field. Easy catch.
18:34 Dave R: flies out to left, 2 out
18:34 baekgom: hi everyone
18:34 torakichi: That brings Inaba to the plate.
18:34 torakichi: Hi, baekgom.
18:34 torakichi: Inaba also hits to left. Easy catch. 3 outs.
18:34 Dave R: Inaba flies out to left, inning over.
18:35 Dave R: 1-0 Dragons after one.
18:35 torakichi: The Dragons tried to niggle Glynn in the first.
18:36 torakichi: Small hits, quick base running...
18:36 torakichi: How will he react in the 2nd?
18:37 Dave R: Tatsunami steps in.
18:37 torakichi: TV comments man, Marines' catcher Satozaki things the Ham did well to keep the Dragons to 1 run.
18:37 Beethoven: Here we go! :]
18:38 torakichi: Tatsunami fouls it off. Count 1-1
18:38 Dave R: groundout 6-3, one out
18:38 torakichi: Mistimes a breaking ball. Kaneko fields and fires to 1st for the out.
18:38 torakichi: Up comes Nori.
18:39 Dave R: Nakamura is next, one strike
18:39 torakichi: Second pitch well inside, but not as far inside as the cacther wanted.
18:39 Dave R: 1S, 2B
18:40 Dave R: count now 2-2
18:40 torakichi: Oh! That was well placed! On the very outside of the strike zone!
18:40 Beethoven: great desccriptions, both of you! :]]
18:40 Dave R: gropunds out 5-3
18:40 torakichi: Pow! Nakamura unleashes his "full swing" but to no avail.
18:41 Dave R: Lee up now, two down for the Dragons.
18:41 Dave R: 2 balls the count
18:41 Dave R: 0S 3B
18:41 torakichi: Lee watches three balls go by: two wide, one low.
18:41 Dave R: 1S 3B
18:42 torakichi: At last. Glynn get's one in the zone!
18:42 Dave R: foul out to the catcher, side out
18:42 torakichi: Brilliant catch by Takahashi. Right at the edge of the foul area.
18:42 Dave R: NMice run and sliding catch.
18:43 torakichi: Almost cruches his legs, but hey, what's a couple of appendages?
18:43 Dave R: 1-0 Dragons, mid 2nd, Fighters have 4-5-6 batters coming ip
18:43 Beethoven: important play!
18:43 torakichi: Glynn's son was shown on camera just now. The comments people talked about how Glynn...
18:44 torakichi: ...plays better with his boy there.
18:44 torakichi: It was warm and fuzzy until Satozaki pointed out that...
18:44 torakichi: ..."Kyle was a bit slimmer at the beginning of the season!"
18:44 Dave R: Seguignol leads off.
18:45 Dave R: Beanball in the right leg, he goes down to first, looks okay
18:45 Beethoven: Fighter's best hitter, right?
18:45 torakichi: Plunk! Right on the side of the knee.
18:45 Beethoven: ouch!
18:46 torakichi: Takahashi swings at the first pitch, but just gets an edge.
18:46 torakichi: For all you cricket fans out there, it was a dolly to deep point.
18:47 Dave R: flyout to center, runner holds, 1 out
18:47 torakichi: Next pitch: Pow! That's more like it... but no. Easy catch. Takahashi out.
18:47 Christopher: It certainly was
18:48 Dave R: 5-4 fielders choice, batter beats relay at first
18:48 Dave R: 2 outs
18:48 torakichi: My goodness. That Kudo can fly.
18:49 torakichi: Kudo takes a large-ish lead... and Nakata can't resist trying to pick him off.
18:49 torakichi: Count is 0S 1B.
18:49 torakichi: Koyano makes contact...
18:49 Dave R: 6-4 forceout, inning over
18:50 torakichi: But easy pickings for the field. 3 outs.
18:50 Dave R: End of 2, still 1-0 for the Dragons
18:50 Beethoven: Dragons to bat?
18:51 torakichi: Yup.
18:51 torakichi: Shades of yesterday's game?
18:51 Dave R: bottom of the order
18:51 Beethoven: k thanks
18:52 Dave R: Tanishige leading off
18:52 torakichi: Up steps Tanishige. Ungh! Ungh! A couple of practice swings
18:52 torakichi: Nice pitch. Eventually dropping out of the zone.
18:53 torakichi: From 1-1 Glynn... Ooooh! That was close. Just wide.
18:53 Dave R: 2-2 count after a foul ball
18:53 torakichi: Now 2-2. What will Glynn throw?>
18:53 torakichi: Ball!
18:53 Dave R: full count
18:54 Dave R: fly out to right, 1 down
18:54 torakichi: Sounded like the bat cracked when he hit that.
18:54 torakichi: Man, how many of you composers are there?!
18:55 Beethoven1: I got bumped off! :[
18:55 Beethoven1: had to use another nick to get back in.
18:55 torakichi: Glynn's mixing them up well against batter Fujii. Some breaking, some straight.
18:56 Dave R: count now 2-2
18:56 torakichi: Strike out!
18:56 Dave R: called strike three
18:56 Dave R: outside corner
18:56 torakichi: That one *just* snuck in the far side of the zone.
18:57 torakichi: Same ball to Araki... ball?
18:58 Dave R: Araki flies to left, side out for Dragons
18:58 torakichi: Re: that third strike to Fujii: Satozaki says that is really hard to pick.
18:58 Dave R: NHK breaks away to show highlights of Dice-K's game against the Rockies
18:59 torakichi: One of the other play-by-play men made fun of him for staring so intently at the screen...
18:59 torakichi: ...to see if he could work out how to attack that pitch.
18:59 torakichi: He said "My livelihood depends on it".
18:59 Beethoven1: Detroit in 4 probably
19:00 Beethoven1: Colorado needed this win desperately
19:00 Beethoven1: A sweep is likely now
19:01 torakichi: Nakata to Tanaka. 1S 2B
19:01 Dave R: 1S 2B to Inada
19:01 torakichi: Oops. Wrong better. Sorry.
19:01 Dave R: NHK just dropped it's coverage to show the 7:00 news!
19:02 torakichi: Evening. miesque.
19:02 Christopher: Try Channel 12
19:02 Dave R: Might be all yours, torakicki
19:02 torakichi: Nakata walks the batter!
19:02 Beethoven1: Hi miesque!
19:02 Dave R: I'm in the Philippines, NHK on cable is the only Japanese station
19:02 torakichi: NHK should be back in 5 minutes.
19:03 Christopher: Sorry to hear that
19:03 torakichi: So! 0 outs. Runer on 1st. Nakata to Kaneko.
19:03 torakichi: Kaneko looks to bunt.
19:03 miesque: konbanwa torakichi
19:03 torakichi: Bunts it... can't throw to second. Out at 1st.
19:03 torakichi: Bunt seiko!
19:04 torakichi: Up steps "Slephead" Morimoto.
19:04 miesque: Hi Beethoven1!
19:04 baekgom: Is there any online radio coverage of this game?
19:04 torakichi: "Slaphead"
19:04 torakichi: Radio: I couldn't find any.
19:04 torakichi: Morimoto pops it up for an easy out.
19:04 Beethoven1: ?
19:04 torakichi: Runner at 2nd can't move.
19:05 torakichi: Tanaka to the plate.
19:05 torakichi: 2 out, runner on 2nd.
19:05 torakichi: Nakata to Tanaka.
19:05 baekgom: That's a shame, considering how easy it is to find online radio and TV coverage of the Korean series.
19:05 torakichi: Fastball, a bit high, but in the zone.
19:05 torakichi: 1S 0B
19:06 torakichi: 2nd pitch. Hit towards left..... but the ballbreaks to foul.
19:06 Beethoven1: no radio or tv in Canada, Bah!
19:06 torakichi: 2S 0B
19:07 torakichi: Waste pitch outside the zone. 2S 1B
19:07 torakichi: Nakata to Tanaka...
19:07 torakichi: Fork ball! It's at Tanaka's feet but he takes a big fat swing!
19:07 torakichi: Strike out!
19:08 torakichi: That's three outs.
19:08 torakichi: Not sure about radio, but Japan has some complex copyright laws when it comes to reproducing TV coverage online.
19:09 Dave R: So still 1-0, end of three.
19:09 torakichi: Everyone who has any kind of say in the copyrights of a programme has to give clear approval EVERY time.
19:09 torakichi: We now resume normal transmission...
19:10 torakichi: Ibata steps up for Chunichi.
19:10 torakichi: Glynn to Ibata...
19:10 torakichi: Straight down the middle.
19:10 torakichi: 1S 0B
19:10 torakichi: Next pitch is wide.
19:10 torakichi: 3rd pitch: wide again.
19:11 torakichi: 4th pitch: Ibata lofts it high!
19:11 torakichi: It comes down with snow on it... for an easy catch.
19:11 torakichi: Glynn to Morino...
19:11 torakichi: 1 out 0 runners.
19:12 torakichi: Oh! That was s good pitch. A smidgen wide.
19:12 torakichi: This time Glynn goes inside. Ball again.
19:12 torakichi: 0S 2B
19:12 torakichi: Ball low!
19:12 torakichi: 0S 3B
19:13 torakichi: Ball low... but the ump calls it a strike.
19:13 torakichi: 1S 3B
19:13 torakichi: Great pitch! But the ump calls it ball wide.
19:13 torakichi: Glynn walks Morino.
19:14 torakichi: Up steps Tyrone Woods...
19:14 torakichi: ...Who has not had a happy series so far.
19:14 torakichi: Glynn goes wide first pitch.
19:14 torakichi: 2nd pitch: ball again.
19:14 torakichi: 0S 2B
19:15 torakichi: 1 out runner on 1st.
19:15 torakichi: Glynn to Woods..
19:15 torakichi: Pitches wide but just inside the zone. Strike.
19:15 torakichi: 1S 2B. 4th pitch
19:16 torakichi: Low! 1S 3B
19:16 torakichi: Welcome to the commentary box.
19:16 westbaystars: Good evening, all.
19:16 torakichi: Glynn to Woods...
19:16 westbaystars: So, how are things going?
19:16 westbaystars: I see Chunichi's up 1-0.
19:16 torakichi: Ball low! Glynn walks 2nd batter in a row.
19:16 westbaystars: Glynn being too careful to Woods?
19:17 torakichi: And Morino.
19:17 Christopher: Maybe -there's now a conference on the mound
19:17 torakichi: I have a new-found respect for your text commentaries.
19:17 westbaystars: Glynn has thrown 53 pitches so far, 1 strike out, 2 hits, 2 walks.
19:17 torakichi: How do you keep up?!
19:18 westbaystars: Would you like to finish out the inning, or have me take over?
19:18 torakichi: I'll finish this inning.
19:18 torakichi: Glynn to Tatsunami... ball!
19:18 torakichi: 0S 1B
19:18 westbaystars: I used to be a legal secretary temp (to get through college).
19:18 torakichi: Runers on 1st and 2nd
19:18 westbaystars: I don't type 55 wpm any more, though.
19:18 torakichi: 2nd pitch: strike!
19:19 torakichi: Next pitch: high'n'wide
19:19 torakichi: 1S 2B, 1 out, 2 on deck
19:19 torakichi: Kapow! Hit hard.... to foul ground.
19:20 torakichi: 2S 2B
19:20 torakichi: Commentators think that makes it hard for Glynn to pitch a slider.
19:20 torakichi: Next pitch: Ooh! That was nice, but ump calls it a ball.
19:20 torakichi: Glynn getting frustrated?
19:20 torakichi: Two yellow dots, three green ones - full count!
19:21 torakichi: Ball wide, Tatsunami cuts it away.
19:21 torakichi: Too far inside! Walks 3rd batter this inning!
19:21 westbaystars: From the above commentary, I take it that Glynn has been having trouble getting strikes called.
19:22 westbaystars: And getting some balls called strikes. That makes things rather confusing.
19:22 torakichi: Certainly in this inning.
19:22 torakichi: 2nd and 3rd he was doing well.
19:22 westbaystars: Nori is 1 for 5 in the Series so far.
19:22 torakichi: Glynn to Nori... ball.
19:23 torakichi: 1 out, 3 on deck.
19:23 torakichi: Glynn to Nori... Strike!
19:23 westbaystars: I thought that the last pitch to Tatsunami was a bit inside. But he reacted as though it was clearly a strike.
19:23 westbaystars: Camera angle may be a factor for me, though.
19:23 torakichi: That one moved an inch in the air, slightly outside but inside the zone.
19:24 torakichi: Commentators said the same thing.
19:24 torakichi: So! Bases loaded, coult 1S 2B.
19:24 torakichi: Bam! Nori slams it.... to foul ground.
19:24 Beethoven1: Hi Westbaystars-san!
19:25 torakichi: Count 2-2
19:25 Thomas: hi
19:25 torakichi: Glynn to Nori...
19:25 westbaystars: Good evening, Beethoven-san. Thanks for those Kansas City Star articles.
19:25 torakichi: Kapow! To the fence!
19:25 torakichi: 2 runners make it home.
19:25 torakichi: 3-0 to Chunichi.
19:26 torakichi: Ball was slightly outside, Nori coaxed it to right field.
19:26 westbaystars: Nakata giving a clap of the glove outside the first base dugout.
19:26 torakichi: Hillman's had enough. Change of pitcher.
19:27 torakichi: Glynn's on screen. Those of you who can lip-read should look away.
19:27 westbaystars: Glynn threw 65 pitches over 3 1/3rd innings.
19:27 westbaystars: Giving up 3 runs so far on just 3 hits.
19:27 Beethoven2: LOL
19:27 westbaystars: Walking the bases loaded really hurt Glynn here in the fourth.
19:28 Beethoven2: I got bumped again. You're welcome Westbaystars-san! :]
19:28 torakichi: Back in the 1st inning, the commentary team spoke of Glynn's propensity to get frustrated.
19:28 westbaystars: Yoshikawa comes in to pitch.
19:28 torakichi: Looks like they were right.
19:28 torakichi: But the ump certainly did him no favours.
19:29 westbaystars: From what I've seen this inning, Glynn wanted more corner calls than he got. And got frustrated.
19:29 torakichi: He has a case. Maybe it's the camera angle, but some of them looked pretty good.
19:29 torakichi: Anyway, back to the action.
19:30 torakichi: Still 1 out, runners on 2 and 3.
19:30 torakichi: Snick... ball goes high... to foul.
19:30 torakichi: Count 1-1
19:30 Beethoven2: who's batting?
19:31 torakichi: Oh, what happened there! Easy touch-out of the second base runner
19:31 torakichi: Good fielding by Tanaka.
19:31 westbaystars: Lee grounded the ball to the right side.
19:31 torakichi: Tanishige up to the plate.
19:31 torakichi: 2 out. Runners on 1 and 3.
19:31 westbaystars: Tanaka fielded the ball and was going to go to second to get Nori off the bag.
19:31 torakichi: Yoshikawa to Tanishige...
19:32 westbaystars: Instead, he passed by Kaneko covering second and ran Nori down between second and third.
19:32 torakichi: Nice pitch... called ball.
19:32 westbaystars: Lee reaches on the fielder's choice.
19:32 torakichi: 0S 1B
19:32 torakichi: Second pitch: ball low!
19:32 Dave R: News over, NHK has come back to the game. What a way to run a railroad!
19:32 westbaystars: I wouldn't call that an "easy touch out" though.
19:32 torakichi: He made it look that way
19:33 westbaystars: I'm on NHK BS1 They've stayed with the game.
19:33 torakichi: 1S 2B
19:33 westbaystars: Both teams' middle infielders make everything look easy.
19:33 torakichi: Pitch outsie, Tanishige swings... foul ball.
19:33 Christopher: NHK No 1 does that if they cover the game
19:33 torakichi: Right. They're very good.
19:33 Dave R: I'm on NHK World, watching in Manila.
19:34 torakichi: So, count 2-2, 2 out.
19:34 torakichi: Pitches... in the dirt. Tanishige lets it go.
19:34 torakichi: Two yellow dots, three green ones - full count!
19:34 torakichi: Runners on 1 and 3. What can Tanishige do?
19:34 Christopher: Yes they are basically NHK 1
19:34 torakichi: Curve ball... outside! Tanishige walks.
19:35 Beethoven2: good patience there
19:35 westbaystars: You can watch in Manila but not the U.S.? That's amazing.
19:35 Dave R: bases loaded again
19:35 torakichi: Bases loaded for the second time this inning.
19:35 torakichi: Fujii up.
19:35 torakichi: 1st pitch: straight down the middle. Strike!
19:35 torakichi: 1S 0B
19:35 Dave R: Yes, the Philippine cable providers carry NHK World.
19:36 torakichi: Same pitch, same result.
19:36 torakichi: Perhaps slightly wider.
19:36 torakichi: 3rd pitch: Slow one. Not bad, but called ball.
19:36 torakichi: 2S 1B
19:36 torakichi: Bases loaded, 2 outs.
19:36 Christopher: Most of Asia Pac carries NHK World
19:37 torakichi: Bam! The ball zips away... to foul ground.
19:37 torakichi: Yoshikawa to Fujii...
19:37 torakichi: Another wobbly one, Fujii just gets some wood to it.
19:37 torakichi: Count remains2S 1B
19:38 torakichi: Ball inside! 2-2.
19:38 torakichi: Next pitch: Low!
19:38 torakichi: 2 out, bases loaded, full count.
19:39 torakichi: Rookie Yoshikawa to Fujii
19:39 torakichi: Outside... Fujii swings, *just* reaches it.
19:39 westbaystars: "If Fujii hits the ball, he'll be a lucky boy."
19:39 torakichi: Fastball, low, Fujii fouls it off.
19:40 westbaystars: "If Yoshikawa get him, he'll be a lucky boy."
19:40 westbaystars: ... said the NHK announcers.
19:40 torakichi: Yoshikawa to Fujii 10th pitch
19:40 torakichi: It's high!
19:40 westbaystars: 押し出し。
19:40 torakichi: Chunichi score on a walk.
19:41 westbaystars: That looks like it for Yoshikawa.
19:41 torakichi: The youngster looed scared before throwing that lest one.
19:41 miesque: Big BB.
19:41 torakichi: Barry Bonds?
19:41 torakichi: (Joke)
19:42 Beethoven2: Who? LOL
19:42 Dave R: Hillman didn't go to the mound for the change, the pitching coach did.
19:42 miesque: mistake it
19:42 Dave R: Though Hillman spoke to the umpire as the coach was heading out.
19:43 westbaystars: Oshimoto comes in to pitch.
19:43 torakichi: The Fighters are going to have to do sometihng pretty special now. A 4-0 deficit when you're facing Nakata...
19:43 westbaystars: Oshimoto threw in 36 games over the regular season, with 2 wins, 1 loss, and a 4.60 ERA over 47 innings pitched.
19:44 westbaystars: He had a WHIP of 1.51.
19:44 torakichi: Nakamura's hit was the only one of the inning, yet the Dragons score 3.
19:44 Beethoven2: Good thing it's two out
19:44 westbaystars: Like Nippon Ham scoring 3 on 1 hit in the first against Kawakami yesterday.
19:44 torakichi: Oshimoto to... Araki?
19:45 torakichi: 1st pitch: ball.
19:45 westbaystars: Walks kill.
19:45 Beethoven2: Yep, it's a big lead!
19:45 torakichi: Araki hits to short... for the out.
19:45 torakichi: The Fighters will be glad to see that inning over.
19:45 westbaystars: Can I get a quick recap of what happened in the first?
19:46 torakichi: 3 runs scored on just one hit, but numerous walks
19:46 torakichi: 1st: Hit off 1st pitch...
19:46 westbaystars: That was this inning. I see Araki and Ibata with hits, then a sacrifice fly.
19:46 torakichi: Steal by Araki...
19:46 torakichi: (Sorry, can't keep up)
19:47 torakichi: Base hit to Ibata...
19:47 westbaystars: So Chunichi has started the running game against Takahashi? That's interesting.
19:47 shin: 4-0 to Chunichi?
19:47 torakichi: Araki scored off the sac fly.
19:47 westbaystars: ---
19:47 westbaystars: Bottom of 4th
19:47 westbaystars: ---
19:48 westbaystars: Inaba leads off the Fighters' half of the 4th.
19:48 westbaystars: 0 for 3 so far in the Series.
19:48 Beethoven2: Hi shin...Yes
19:48 westbaystars: Takes ball one inside from Nakata.
19:48 shin: thanks!
19:48 westbaystars: The second offering misses down low. Two balls.
19:48 torakichi: Perhaps the running game was more to rile Glynn than anything else.
19:48 westbaystars: Third offering, misses low and in, ball three.
19:49 Beethoven2: you're welcom
19:49 westbaystars: Fourth offering by Nakata is down the middle, taken all the way for strike one.
19:49 westbaystars: The fifth pitch is lifted to shallow center field.
19:49 westbaystars: Araki goes out, and makes the catch in front of Fujii and Lee gathering.
19:49 westbaystars: One away here in the bottom of the 4th.
19:50 westbaystars: That brings up Seguignol, yesterday's co-hero.
19:50 torakichi: Bam!
19:50 torakichi: He's done it again!
19:50 westbaystars: He swings at the first pitch, lifted deep to left-center.
19:50 westbaystars: Haittaaaaaa! Home run,.
19:50 westbaystars: That's Seggy's second home run of the Series.
19:51 westbaystars: But, the Fighters are still down 4-1.
19:51 Beethoven2: Wow!
19:51 torakichi: Looked like a fork ball. Sunk a bit, but Seggy doesn't care. Kapow!
19:51 westbaystars: Two down.
19:51 Dave R: A pitcher can afford to give the odd dinger up if he keeps the bases empty...
19:52 westbaystars: Kudoh takes the first pitch for ball one.
19:52 westbaystars: The second offering is swung on and fouled off to the left side and out of play.
19:53 westbaystars: Looks like Nakata has walked one and hit a batter so far.
19:53 Beethoven2: correct
19:53 westbaystars: Two more pitches, count is even at 2 and 2.
19:53 westbaystars: Kudoh fouls the next pitch off of Tanishige's mask. Count remains 2-2.
19:54 westbaystars: The next offering is swung on and missed, the ball up and a little away.
19:54 westbaystars: That retires the side for the Fighters in the fourth.
19:54 westbaystars: But not before Seguignol puts the Fighters on the board with a home run just left of center.
19:54 westbaystars: At the end of four complete, the Dragons lead this one by a score of 4-1.
19:54 westbaystars: ---
19:54 westbaystars: Top of 5th
19:55 westbaystars: ---
19:55 westbaystars: The scoreboard reads 4 runs on 3 hit and no errors for Chunichi.
19:55 westbaystars: 1 run on 1 hit and no errors for Nippon Ham.
19:56 westbaystars: Nakata's first hit was Seguignol's home run.
19:56 westbaystars: ... first hit allowed, that is.
19:56 torakichi: Still Oshimoto?
19:56 westbaystars: Ibata leads off the fifth for the Dragons.
19:56 torakichi: It appears so.
19:57 westbaystars: He grounds the second pitch to Koyano at third.
19:57 westbaystars: Koyano throws across the diamond for out number one.
19:57 westbaystars: Yes, Oshimoto still on the mound.
19:57 westbaystars: That brings up Morino, who's sacrifice fly in the first drew first blood.
19:57 westbaystars: He takes the first offering from Oshimoto for a called strike one.
19:58 westbaystars: The next offering is lifted to left-center.
19:58 westbaystars: But right to where Kudoh is playing him.
19:58 westbaystars: Kudoh takes a step in to make the catch for out number two.
19:58 westbaystars: Four pitches and two outs for Oshimoto here in the fifth.
19:58 westbaystars: And that brings up Woods.
19:58 westbaystars: Woods grounded into a double play and walked so far tonight.
19:59 westbaystars: 0 for 4 for the Series so far.
19:59 westbaystars: Takahashi sets up inside, and the pitch is insided, fouled back toward the NHK announcers.
19:59 westbaystars: That was strike two to Woods.
19:59 Christopher: That foul just missed the commentators
20:00 westbaystars: The next offering looked awfully good - maybe a little low on the outside corner.
20:00 westbaystars: Woods takes it for ball one.
20:00 torakichi: A couple of innings ago, the commentators talked about how Woods is using different coloured bats...
20:00 torakichi: *Anything* to get a hit, a run, get into some form.
20:00 westbaystars: The fourth offering misses well outside and low to bring the count even at 2 and 2.
20:00 westbaystars: And the 2-2 pitch is just a shade outside, but swung on and missed for strike three.
20:01 westbaystars: The Dragons go down in order for the third time tonight here in the fifth.
20:01 westbaystars: ---
20:01 westbaystars: Bottom of 5th
20:01 westbaystars: ---
20:03 westbaystars: Koyano leads off the Fighters' half of the fifth.
20:04 westbaystars: Nakata has been throwing on average 10 pitches per inning through the first four.
20:04 westbaystars: Goes full count to Koyano. That's half his pitches for the inning.
20:05 westbaystars: The shoubu pitch is reached for and pulled up the third base side.
20:05 westbaystars: Tanishige does a great job getting to the ball and throwing Koyano out by half a step.
20:06 westbaystars: That brings up Inada, 0 for 3 for the Series.
20:06 westbaystars: Takes the first pitch for strike one.
20:06 westbaystars: The second offering is a high bounder to the left side.
20:06 westbaystars: Nakata fields the ball when it comes down, fires to first, in time.
20:06 torakichi: Was that a replay?
20:06 westbaystars: Two down.
20:06 torakichi: Sure looked like it...
20:07 westbaystars: Well, the first one was a slow dribbler, the second a high one bounder off the front of the plate.
20:07 Old cat: tactics?
20:07 westbaystars: Kaneko takes the first offering up high for ball one.
20:07 westbaystars: The second pitch is lifted to center field.
20:07 torakichi: Pow! Arrrrrrgh, not long enough!
20:07 westbaystars: Fujii goes back, but stops well in front of the warning track.
20:07 westbaystars: Waits, and takes the ball in for out number three.
20:08 westbaystars: The Fighters are retired in order for the second time this evening.
20:08 westbaystars: I don't think those grounders to the left side were a tactic.
20:08 westbaystars: More like not well hit balls.
20:08 westbaystars: Nonetheless, at the end of five complete, the Dragons lead this one by a score of 4-1.
20:08 westbaystars: ---
20:08 westbaystars: Top of 6th
20:09 westbaystars: ---
20:10 Firearm: hey all
20:10 Firearm: I just woke up :P
20:10 Dave R: The Fighters only have three hits for the entire series.
20:10 Dave R: All runs have been off Seguignol homers.
20:10 westbaystars: ===
20:10 westbaystars: === Update:
20:11 Firearm: and yet they're still up in the series 1-0--it's been that kinda season for the Fighters
20:11 westbaystars: === Dragons score in the first as Araki and Ibata have back to back hits, with a stolen base in between.
20:11 Beethoven2: Hi Firearm!
20:11 westbaystars: === Then Araki scores on a sacrifice fly by Morino.
20:12 westbaystars: === The Dragons score 3 more in the 4th on 3 consecutive walks, then a 2-run double by Nori off the right field wall.
20:12 westbaystars: --- Followed by a pair of walk, the second one walking in a run.
20:12 westbaystars: === The Fighters strike back with a solo shot by Seguignol.
20:13 westbaystars: Tatsunami lifts the ball to right field, where Inaba camps under the ball and takes it in for out number one.
20:13 westbaystars: Here in the top of the 6th.
20:13 westbaystars: Nakamura, who had the timely double, stands in with the bases empty.
20:13 westbaystars: === Glynn melted down after not getting a number of corner calls.
20:14 westbaystars: Nori grounds the ball up the middle and through, base hit.
20:14 westbaystars: The Dragons have a one out base runner aboard.
20:14 torakichi: Big swing from Nori. Base hit to center.
20:14 westbaystars: That brings up Lee.
20:15 Firearm: only 50 pitches through 5 for Nakata... nice.
20:15 torakichi: Bam!!!!!!!!!!!!!
20:15 westbaystars: Lee is 0 for 5 in the Series, fouled out and grounded out to second so far.
20:15 westbaystars: But he lauches the first offering from Oshimoto into the right field stands.
20:15 westbaystars: No doubt about that one.
20:15 westbaystars: Haittaaaaaaaa!.
20:15 westbaystars: And the Dragons add two more to take a 6-1 lead.
20:15 Firearm: I'd prefer not to see Hirai or Okamoto pitch in this series--Nakata straight to Iwase!
20:15 torakichi: Lee rockets that one flat into the crowd.
20:16 Firearm: man, what the hell has gotten into Lee this postseason?!
20:16 westbaystars: That brings up Tanishige.
20:16 torakichi: Firearm: How 'bout a kanto?
20:16 Firearm: he's been terrible for most of the year (offensively), but has come up with several timely hits in all 3 stages of the p
20:16 Firearm: playoffs
20:16 westbaystars: Tanishige is 0 for 3 in the Series, flew out to right and walked so far tonight.
20:16 torakichi: A kanto with a different result from yesterday, of course.
20:17 westbaystars: I didn't think that this Lee was a home run hitter. I thought his specialty was average.
20:17 westbaystars: Tanishige goes down swinging for out number two.
20:17 westbaystars: Fujii shows bunt, takes the first pitch for strike one.
20:18 westbaystars: Second offering swung on and missed. Two quick strikes on Fujii.
20:18 Beethoven2: what's a kanto?
20:18 Firearm: Westbay, he hit about .260 after flirting with the Mendoza Line earlier this year
20:18 westbaystars: Third offering is thrown to the backstop.
20:18 westbaystars: No, fouled to the backstop.
20:18 Firearm: he's been pretty good defensively, though--possibly a wash with Alex Ochoa
20:18 westbaystars: Count remains two strikes, no balls.
20:19 westbaystars: Takahashi sets up outside, and the waste pitch is low and away.
20:19 westbaystars: Next pitch misses up high and in. That evens the count at 2 and 2.
20:19 westbaystars: And the next offering is called strike three.
20:19 westbaystars: The side is retired.
20:20 westbaystars: But a base hit and home run by Lee increased the Dragons' lead to 6-1.
20:20 westbaystars: I know that Lee really struggled with his batting average early in the year.
20:20 westbaystars: But I thought that his batting average was his selling point.
20:21 westbaystars: ---
20:21 westbaystars: Bottom of 6th
20:21 westbaystars: ---
20:21 Firearm: yep, he was even demoted to ni-gun at one point
20:21 torakichi: Kanto: complete game.
20:22 westbaystars: What I'd read in the Korean press seemed to be mixed. Many expected him to fail with his odd batting stance.
20:22 Beethoven2: Thanks!
20:22 westbaystars: Others praised Ochiai for letting him do what he does.
20:22 westbaystars: Morimoto leads off the bottom of the sixth for the Fighters.
20:23 Old cat: Ochiai seems to be good at that sort of thing
20:23 westbaystars: 完投 = complete game. 関東 = Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama area.
20:23 westbaystars: Both spelled "kanto."
20:23 westbaystars: Morimoto grounds the ball to the left side.
20:24 westbaystars: It goes under Nori's glove, fielded by Ibata.
20:24 westbaystars: Ibata's throw is *just* a fraction of a second too late.
20:24 westbaystars: Lead off man is aboard for the Fighters here in the 6th.
20:24 westbaystars: That brings up Kensuke Tanaka.
20:25 Firearm: oh great, Morimoto's on and Kensuke has to swing away
20:25 westbaystars: Nakamura fields the ball on a short hop.
20:25 Beethoven2: interesting, thanks westbaystars-san
20:25 westbaystars: His only play it to first.
20:25 westbaystars: And he gets Tanaka by a step.
20:26 westbaystars: I first thought that Torakichi-san was referring to a college game.
20:26 westbaystars: Kanto Gakkuin has a pretty good club.
20:27 torakichi: Sorry for the ambiguity, folks.
20:27 torakichi: Can the Ham Fighters turn this into a rally?
20:27 westbaystars: Japanese is full of ambiguity. Not to worry.
20:27 westbaystars: Ibata works the count to 2 and 2.
20:27 Firearm: Masafumi Hirai's not pitching, so no
20:28 Dave R: Seguignol on deck for the Fighters
20:28 westbaystars: A 2-2 pitch lifted to center.
20:29 westbaystars: Fujii goes back, and in front of the warning tack line makes the catch.
20:29 westbaystars: Morimoto touches up at second, and advances to third ahead of the throw.
20:29 westbaystars: Runner at third with two down and Seguignol coming to the plate.
20:29 torakichi: Oh? Hit? Hit? Ahhh, no. Runner to third, tho.
20:29 torakichi: Can Nippon Ham even the score?
20:29 westbaystars: As someone mentioned earlier, all of the Fighters' runs have been off the bat of Seguignol.
20:30 Firearm: 2 outs, thankfully
20:30 westbaystars: Tanishige has a short word with Nakata.
20:30 westbaystars: Will they walk him?
20:30 westbaystars: Seggy is 2 for 4 with 2 home runs.
20:30 westbaystars: And the first pitch is down the middle!
20:30 Old cat: I don't think so
20:30 westbaystars: Taken for strike one.
20:30 westbaystars: The one place Seggy didn't expect a pitch?
20:30 Dave R: I was about to type that myself (walk).
20:30 westbaystars: The second offering misses low and inside. 1 and 1.
20:31 westbaystars: Second offering is low, but Seguignol fails to hold his swing.
20:31 westbaystars: Strike two.
20:31 westbaystars: Trying to hold up, Seggy kind of tossed his bat from one hand to the other in mid swing.
20:31 Firearm: probably the fork--Nakata usually throws that into the dirt
20:32 westbaystars: Fourth offering misses high and in. 2 and 2.
20:32 westbaystars: Next offering is down the middle.
20:32 westbaystars: Swung on and fouled off to the left side.
20:32 westbaystars: Seguignol expecting the fork and swung just under it maybe?
20:33 westbaystars: 2-2 offering, straight, up and down the middle, fouled off again.
20:33 Dave R: Will Seguignol play the field in Nagoya? No DH in the Central League.
20:33 westbaystars: 2-2 offering again, fork is grounded bast the first base coach, foul.
20:34 westbaystars: Nakata is challenging Seguignol.
20:34 torakichi: This at-bat is a great match-up.
20:34 Firearm: Dave, he played 1st last year
20:34 westbaystars: Next offering misses up high, ball three.
20:34 westbaystars: Full count with two down to Seguignol, with a runner at third.
20:34 torakichi: Don't think Nakata meant to pitch it that high.
20:35 westbaystars: 9th offering is fouled off and out of play to the left side.
20:35 westbaystars: Seggy is batting Nakata.
20:35 Dave R: It worked for Ortiz against the Rockies. He made a couple of neat plays at 1st.
20:35 westbaystars: 10th pitch to Seguignol is swung on and lined right to Ibata playing behind the second base bag.
20:36 westbaystars: The Seggy Shift worked out there.
20:36 Firearm: sweet!
20:36 westbaystars: So the Fighters get a runner as far as third, but fail to bring him home.
20:36 torakichi: Important battle for Nakata to win.
20:36 westbaystars: At the end of six complete, the Dragons lead this one 6-1.
20:36 westbaystars: ---
20:37 westbaystars: Top of 7th
20:37 westbaystars: ---
20:37 westbaystars: Nakata didn't back down. He just kept on going after Seguignol, despite the home run last time.
20:37 westbaystars: Kikuchi takes the mound for the Fighters this inning.
20:38 westbaystars: He only threw in 1 game during the regular season, 2 innings, not allowing a run.
20:38 westbaystars: He allowed 1 hit and walked 1 during those 2 innings.
20:39 westbaystars: The one game he threw in was on October 2nd against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
20:39 Firearm: Seggy will come up at least once more, will he face Nakata?
20:39 westbaystars: He faces the top of the Dragons' order in Araki.
20:39 westbaystars: Kikuchi's first offering is taken for strike one.
20:39 westbaystars: Nakata's last couple of innings saw a lot of pitches.
20:40 westbaystars: Araki lines the ball over a jumping Kaneko into left field, base hit.
20:40 westbaystars: The lead off man is aboard for the Dragons in the top of the seventh.
20:40 westbaystars: That brings up Ibata.
20:41 Firearm: still, 71 thru 6--if he keeps the Fighters off the scoreboard he should be good for at least 2 more
20:41 westbaystars: Ibata is 2 for 7 in the Series so far, including a hit in the first that setup the Dragons' first run.
20:42 westbaystars: Araki swipes second without a throw.
20:42 westbaystars: He had a huuuuuuge lead.
20:42 torakichi: Araki steals. Second steal tonight.
20:42 westbaystars: Actually, Kawakami just thew 107 pitches last night (8 innings.)
20:43 westbaystars: Ibata bunts the ball too hard.
20:43 Firearm: what does Japan get for free after that stolen base?
20:43 westbaystars: Kikuchi looks Araki back and throws to first.
20:43 westbaystars: Sacrifice failed.
20:43 westbaystars: Runner at second, one out.
20:44 westbaystars: Morino at the plate with a 1-1 count.
20:45 westbaystars: Third offering misses away, ball two.
20:45 westbaystars: Fourth pitch is lifted to right field.
20:45 westbaystars: Going, going,
20:45 westbaystars: Haittaaaaaaaaaa!
20:45 westbaystars: Mr. Three Run hits a 2-run home run.
20:45 torakichi: It's long, long, looooong!
20:45 westbaystars: That puts the Dragons up 8-1.
20:45 Firearm: And boom goes the dynamite!
20:46 torakichi: That one had "fly" written all over it - how'd it reach the stands?
20:46 shin: yeees
20:47 Firearm: Sapporo Dome air conditioning fans
20:47 westbaystars: Woods up to bat.
20:47 westbaystars: Two quick strikes on the Dragons' slugger.
20:47 torakichi: What can Woods do?
20:47 Firearm: they forgot to reverse the direction
20:47 westbaystars: The next offering is grounded up the middle, base hit.
20:47 torakichi: There ya go! A hit.
20:47 westbaystars: That was Woods' first hit of the Series.
20:47 Firearm: finally!
20:47 westbaystars: Fork ball hung up there a little too long.
20:48 westbaystars: Will that break Woods out for the remainder of the Series?
20:48 westbaystars: Tatsunami is still hitless as he stands in.
20:48 westbaystars: And takes the first pitch for a strike.
20:48 westbaystars: The first hit is the hardest, sometimes.
20:48 Firearm: I still think the Fighters will win this series, but...
20:48 westbaystars: The next pitch bounces behind Takahashi.
20:48 Firearm: ...if the Dragons win, someone needs to inform Bill Simmons of the 2007 Dragons (Ewing Theory)
20:49 westbaystars: Woods heads over to second before Takahashi can get the ball.
20:49 westbaystars: Runner at second, one out. Two runs in so far this inning.
20:49 westbaystars: Do you have a URL to this Ewing Theory?
20:49 westbaystars: Next offering is grounded to the left side.
20:50 westbaystars: Kaneko goes for the easy out at first, allowing Woods to advance to third.
20:50 Firearm: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1193711
20:50 shin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewing_Theory#Ewing_Theory
20:50 Firearm: trust me, it applies to Kosuke
20:50 Dave R: All in all, a sloppy night for Fighters pitchers.
20:50 westbaystars: 2 for 3 Nakamura comes up to bat.
20:50 Dave R: Has anyone kept count of the number of walks they've issued?
20:51 westbaystars: Nori had a 2-run double in the 4th inning.
20:51 westbaystars: I'll have to read those after the game. Kind of busy right now.
20:51 westbaystars: Thanks.
20:51 westbaystars: Nakata has given up just 1 walk and hit a batter.
20:52 Firearm: of course, that article doesn't have the ultimate Ewing Theory example
20:52 westbaystars: Glynn walked 3, Yoshikawa walked 2.
20:52 westbaystars: After that, Oshimoto and Kikuchi have been clean.
20:52 Firearm: Drew Bledsoe (Tom Brady comes in for him and they win 3 of 4 Super Bowls)
20:53 westbaystars: Shoubu pitch to Nori is fouled off of Takahashi's shin guard.
20:53 westbaystars: Count remains full.
20:53 westbaystars: Next offering misses high and tight, knocking Nakamura down.
20:53 westbaystars: Takahashi appeals to the first base umpire that Nori swung.
20:54 westbaystars: Nori has a word to say to Takahashi about that pitch.
20:54 westbaystars: And Satoh-pitching coach comes out, with Hillman-kantoku on his tail.
20:54 westbaystars: Kikuchi is done.
20:54 westbaystars: He threw 22 pitches, allowed 3 hits, walked 1 while striking out none.
20:54 westbaystars: That will bring in Yamamoto.
20:55 westbaystars: Kazunori threw in 12 games this season, starting 2.
20:55 westbaystars: He had no wins, 1 loss, allowing 16 earned runs in 21.1 innings for a 6.75 ERA.
20:55 Firearm: OH NO NOT MASA--oh wait wrong team
20:56 westbaystars: WHIP of 1.50, walking 12 and allowing 2 home runs while striking out 15.
20:57 westbaystars: Yamamoto misses with his first two pitches.
20:58 westbaystars: And the third offering misses high and away.
20:58 westbaystars: The rookie gets a called strike one gift up high from the home plate umpire.
20:59 westbaystars: The next offering is lifted to foul territory up the third base side.
20:59 westbaystars: There's a lot of space there as Koyano goes over.
20:59 Firearm: heh, the magic strike on 3-0?
20:59 westbaystars: And Koyano pulls the ball in for out number three.
20:59 westbaystars: But again, it's the long ball for the Dragons that add two more to the scoreboard.
21:00 westbaystars: Going to the Fighters' Lucky Seven, Nippon Ham finds themselves trailing by a score of 1-8.
21:00 westbaystars: ---
21:00 westbaystars: Bottom of 7th
21:00 westbaystars: ---
21:01 westbaystars: Nakata has thrown 72 pitches, allowing just 2 hits, striking out 2, walking 1, and hitting one so far.
21:01 westbaystars: His first pitch of the inning to #5 batting Takahashi misses low and away, ball one.
21:02 westbaystars: Nakata misses again. Two balls to Takahashi.
21:02 westbaystars: The third offering is fouled off toward the first base dugout.
21:03 westbaystars: Fourth offering is fouled back to even the count at 2 and 2.
21:03 westbaystars: Nakata's fifth pitch is grounded up the middle.
21:04 westbaystars: The ball changes course, or is slowed, as hit hits the pitcher's mound.
21:04 westbaystars: And that's just enough for Ibata to get to it and throw Takahashi out at first.
21:04 westbaystars: Ibata has incredible reaction time.
21:04 Firearm: whew!
21:04 westbaystars: Two quick strikes to Kudoh.
21:04 westbaystars: With the high knickers showing all black calves.
21:05 westbaystars: After fouling one back, Kudoh lifts the ball just right of center.
21:05 westbaystars: Fujii comes over and plays the ball off a bound or two.
21:05 westbaystars: And Kudoh heads into second!
21:06 westbaystars: The throw is not in time, safe.
21:06 westbaystars: Kudoh doubles to center with one out.
21:06 torakichi: Man, he's quick.
21:06 westbaystars: That bring up pinch hitter Koda.
21:06 westbaystars: It seems like a lot of those players who wear their knickers high have speed.
21:07 westbaystars: After taking a pitch in the dirt, Koda fouls the second offering out of play to the left side. 1 and 1.
21:08 westbaystars: The third offering, high and away, is swung on and missed. Two strikes and a ball.
21:08 Firearm: ok, so there's one Yamamoto per team, one Oda per team...
21:08 westbaystars: Nakata's fourth pitch, outside, is swung on and missed, strike three.
21:08 Firearm: (except for the Dragons, if all goes well neither their Yamamoto nor their Oda will see the field
)21:08 westbaystars: That's just Nakata's 3rd strike out of the night.
21:09 westbaystars: That brings up Inada.
21:09 westbaystars: Oh, that was "Oda" - not "Koda" - thanks.
21:09 torakichi: The TV commentary team is lauding Nakata's control this late in the game. Quite right.
21:10 westbaystars: Inada grounds the ball to Nakamura at third.
21:10 westbaystars: The throw across the diamond is in plenty of time.
21:10 westbaystars: And the Fighters are retired in the 7th.
21:10 Firearm: maybe Nakata will go the distance after all
21:11 Firearm: he probably won't pitch again until next Saturday, if needed
21:11 westbaystars: After seven complete, the the Dragons lead this one by a commanding 8-1 lead.
21:11 westbaystars: ---
21:11 westbaystars: Top of 8th
21:11 westbaystars: ---
21:12 westbaystars: Mori-pitching coach is talking with Nakata in the first base dugout.
21:12 westbaystars: He's still well under 100 pitches.
21:13 westbaystars: Tanishige lines the first pitch to right where Inaba makes a squatting catch for out number one.
21:13 westbaystars: One pitch, one out here in the 8th.
21:13 westbaystars: That brings up Fujii, 0 for 4 in the Series.
21:13 westbaystars: Oda stays in the game at first.
21:14 westbaystars: Somebody else is in at third.
21:14 westbaystars: Fujii lifts the ball to left-center.
21:15 westbaystars: But again, Kudoh has him played perfectly and takes the ball in for out number two.
21:15 westbaystars: Back to the top of the order in Araki.
21:15 westbaystars: Who takes the first pitch for strike one.
21:15 westbaystars: Nakata starts throwing outside the first base side dugout.
21:15 westbaystars: Araki lines the ball toward right center.
21:15 westbaystars: Morimoto comes dashing in to make the catch.
21:16 westbaystars: And the Dragons are retired in order for the first time since the 5th.
21:16 torakichi: Nice running catch by Morimoto. It looked like it was going to drop in front of him.
21:16 Firearm: "Who takes the first pitch for strike one"--Jim Neidhart came in for Araki?
21:16 westbaystars: Third time this game.
21:16 westbaystars: Going to the bottom of the 8th, the FIghters trail by 7: 1-8.
21:16 westbaystars: ---
21:16 westbaystars: Bottom of 8th
21:16 westbaystars: ---
21:17 westbaystars: Nakata takes the mound for the Dragons in the 8th.
21:18 torakichi: TV Osaka have just shown fielding highlights. Goes without saying, but these teams are pretty sprightly in the field.
21:18 Firearm: Inada, Kaneko, Morimoto
21:18 westbaystars: A sea of red fills the stands as the fans hold up colored cards.
21:18 westbaystars: Kaneko leads off the Fighters' half of the 8th taking strike one on the inside corner.
21:18 Firearm: that's what these teams are all about, defense and breaking hearts (copyright Torii Hunter)
21:18 westbaystars: Nakata's second offering misses in side evening the count at 1 adn 1.
21:19 Firearm: oh, my bad, Inada was the last out last inning
21:20 westbaystars: Today's Nikkan Sports had that great scooping, diving throw by Araki in consecutive photos.
21:20 torakichi: Kaneko swung at *that*?!
21:20 westbaystars: Only YouTube could show it better.
21:20 torakichi: Yeah, good fielding is a pleasure to watch.
21:20 westbaystars: Whoops, I missed it.
21:20 westbaystars: What happened to Kaneko?
21:21 westbaystars: Morimoto comes to the plate.
21:21 torakichi: Nakata threw one in the dirt, but Kaneko took a big, fat, eyes-closed swing.
21:22 westbaystars: Morimoto lifts a 2 strike, 1 ball pitch to the right side, but foul.
21:22 FirearmofMutiny: someone actually bit on Nakata's forkball?
21:22 westbaystars: So Kaneko becomes strike out victum #4 for Nakata.
21:23 westbaystars: And Morimoto #5, swinging and missing a fork ball in the dirt outside.
21:23 westbaystars: Is Nakata getting better as the game goes on?
21:23 westbaystars: Tanaka fouls the first pitch off himself. Strike one.
21:24 westbaystars: The second offering is taken low and inside, 1 and 1.
21:24 westbaystars: A big swing and a miss puts Kensuke in the hole, 2 strikes and a ball.
21:24 westbaystars: The fourth offering is fouled off and out of play to the left side.
21:24 FirearmofMutiny: Who will the Fighters bring in for Game 3?
21:25 westbaystars: Hasegawa.
21:25 FirearmofMutiny: the Dragons will probably have Kenta Asakura go, but it could also be Daisuke Yamai
21:25 westbaystars: The next pitch is grounded to the right side.
21:25 westbaystars: Sure handed Araki makes the easy plays look as easy as the hard ones.
21:25 westbaystars: And the Fighters are retired in order in the 8th.
21:26 westbaystars: Down to one last at bat, the Fighters find themselves down 8-1.
21:26 westbaystars: ---
21:26 westbaystars: Top of 9th
21:26 westbaystars: ---
21:26 torakichi: Nakata certainly does seem to be getting better as the game progresses.
21:26 westbaystars: Are the Fighters getting more deparate to hit the ball?
21:26 westbaystars: That's why they're swinging at the forks in the dirt?
21:27 FirearmofMutiny: probably... down 7, they have to get something going
21:27 Beethoven2: it seems that way, we haven't seen a full count in a while.
21:27 FirearmofMutiny: of course, their minds have probably already shifted to Nagoya (and the Dragons have probably done the same)
21:27 westbaystars: The Dragons seem to have a lot of options for tomorrow's start.
21:28 westbaystars: Hagiwara comes in to pitch the 9th for the Fighters.
21:28 FirearmofMutiny: yep, I didn't even count Takashi Ogasawara
21:28 Beethoven2: Does Nagoya favor any side in a Home Team sense?
21:28 westbaystars: The first batter he faces is #2 batting Ibata.
21:29 westbaystars: First pitch to Ibata is fouled off and out of play to the right side.
21:29 westbaystars: Hagiwara threw in just 5 games over the past season.
21:29 FirearmofMutiny: the Dragons have been near unbeatable at home (or, at least, better at home than any other team)
21:29 westbaystars: 1 win, no losses, 1 hold, 5.63 ERA.
21:29 FirearmofMutiny: but the Fighters swept the Dragons at Nagoya Dome earlier this season
21:29 westbaystars: That in 8 innings pitched.
21:30 westbaystars: Ibata grounds teh fourth offering to first base.
21:30 westbaystars: And many fans start heading for the exist.
21:30 FirearmofMutiny: (without Darvish, might I add)
21:30 Beethoven2: who brings the most fans to Nagoya? Fighters or Dragons?
21:30 westbaystars: First pitch to Morino misses up high.
21:31 FirearmofMutiny: heh, good luck getting through those narrow walkways to the subway station
21:31 westbaystars: Morino drove in three runs tonight, a sacrifice fly in the first and a 2-run home run in the 7th.
21:31 FirearmofMutiny: Dragons--the only away team that can bring in something close to majority is Hanshin
21:31 westbaystars: I would say that the Fighters have the better home field advantage.
21:32 westbaystars: The fans in Sapporo out number the visitors by a huge margin.
21:32 FirearmofMutiny: whenever I talk about the Fighters and fan support, I always drop the Packers bomb
21:33 FirearmofMutiny: (I mean come on, great fans, region of the country famous for beer, sponsored by a meat packing company
)21:33 westbaystars: Full count pitch is fouled off and out of play to the left side.
21:34 westbaystars: Shoubu pitch again, and it's lined deep but foul up the first base side.
21:34 westbaystars: One more time - taken low, ball four.
21:34 FirearmofMutiny: Morino's in a nice battle here
21:34 Beethoven3: Thanks, Guys! :]
21:35 westbaystars: An appeal to the third base umpire says that Morino didn't swing.
21:35 torakichi: Ooooh, that was a close call. Could've gone either way.
21:35 westbaystars: Runner at first, one out, Woods at the plate.
21:35 westbaystars: Woods finally broke through with a hit his last at bat.
21:35 westbaystars: Takes the first pitch at the knees for strike one.
21:36 westbaystars: Second offering catches the outside part of the plate. Two quick strikes on Woods.
21:36 westbaystars: The third offering is over the outside corner, pulled to Kaneko at short by Woods.
21:37 westbaystars: Three down.
21:37 westbaystars: Going to the Fighters' last chance, they trail 8-1.
21:37 westbaystars: ---
21:37 westbaystars: Bottom of 9th
21:37 westbaystars: ---
21:37 torakichi: Woods just can't seem to get much going in this series. Perhaps returning to Nagoya will help?
21:37 westbaystars: Both Ochiai-kantoku and Mori-pitching coach come out.
21:37 westbaystars: We have a pitching change.
21:37 westbaystars: Ishii comes in to pitch for the Dragons.
21:38 shin: I sure hope Woods can do more at Nagoya
21:39 westbaystars: Yuya threw in 16 games during the 2007 season, winning 2, losing 2, and holding 4 games with a 2.95 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.
21:39 westbaystars: Perhaps facing Central League pitching would help. The Pacific League, and especially the Fighters, have the pitchers.
21:40 westbaystars: Ishii faces Inaba leading off.
21:40 westbaystars: Nakamura comes around to first.
21:40 westbaystars: Morino comes in to play third.
21:40 westbaystars: And Inoue comes in to play left.
21:40 westbaystars: Woods coming out of the game.
21:41 westbaystars: Yukio Tanaka on deck to pinch hit.
21:41 westbaystars: Was it Deanna who said last year, "it isn't a loss without Yukio getting an at bat"?
21:42 westbaystars: Inaba works the count even at 2 and 2.
21:43 westbaystars: Inaba ground the ball up the middle.
21:43 westbaystars: It's off of Ishii's glove.
21:43 westbaystars: Deflected to Araki, who thrown Inaba out for out number one.
21:43 westbaystars: Ochiai-kantoku comes out of the dugout.
21:43 westbaystars: And asks for the ball.
21:43 westbaystars: Pitching change already?
21:44 westbaystars: Yes.
21:44 westbaystars: Cruz coming in.
21:44 westbaystars: Well, they do have a 7 run lead with two outs to go.
21:45 mimflyer: Ochiai is his own man, but I would have waited another batter to make the change
21:45 westbaystars: During the season, Cruz threw in 17 games, had 1 win, 3 losses, 3 holds, and a 2.66 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP.
21:46 mimflyer: Because that batter way in the dugout is the tying run.
21:46 westbaystars: He failed to get an out the last time I saw him, if I recall correctly.
21:46 westbaystars: First pitch to Yukio is called strike one on the outside corner.
21:47 westbaystars: Next offering is fouled back. Two quick strikes on the latest Meikyukai Member.
21:47 westbaystars: Third offering misses inside. Ball one.
21:48 westbaystars: A couple of foul balls. Count remains 2 strikes and a ball.
21:48 Firearm: Rafael Cruz is in? Now I'm worried.
21:48 westbaystars: Many empty seats, but the volume of the fans is as intense as ever.
21:48 westbaystars: Ball 2 outside.
21:48 westbaystars: Ball three high and tight.
21:48 westbaystars: Full count.
21:49 Firearm: yep, with Cruz in I'm worried we'll blow this lead. No, seriously.
21:49 westbaystars: Shoubu pitch is lifted high and out of play to the right side.
21:49 westbaystars: He was pretty good for the first 7 pitches or so.
21:49 westbaystars: Now he walks Tanaka with an outside pitch.
21:50 westbaystars: One out base runner is on.
21:50 westbaystars: No pinch runner?
21:50 westbaystars: Catcher Takahashi comes up.
21:50 Beethoven3: Shoubu pitch? Don't understand. :[
21:50 westbaystars: Swinging and missing Cruz's first offering.
21:51 westbaystars: Shoubu is something like "decisive."
21:51 westbaystars: 勝負 literally means win or loss.
21:51 westbaystars: The next pitch is lifted deep to right-center.
21:51 Beethoven3: Thanks!
21:51 westbaystars: And the ball goes all the way to the wall!
21:51 westbaystars: Tanaka heads into third base.
21:52 westbaystars: Takahashi has a double.
21:52 westbaystars: And Ochiai-kantoku takes his jacket off in the dugout, with a laugh on his face.
21:52 westbaystars: Cruz is done.
21:53 westbaystars: Takahashi comes in to pitch. (Not to be confused with the Takahashi that just doubled to the wall).
21:53 Firearm: and Hirai will come in to give up a 3-run homer?
21:53 Beethoven3: How many out, again?
21:53 Firearm: Takahashi's been pretty good. He usually comes in when setup man Shinya Okamoto gets into trouble
21:54 westbaystars: Akifumi threw in 25 games in 2007, winning 1, losing none, and having a 4.23 ERA in 27.2 innings.
21:54 westbaystars: 1 out. Runners at second and third.
21:54 westbaystars: Kawashima is announced as the pinch hitter.
21:55 westbaystars: And he's hit by the first pitch.
21:55 westbaystars: Bases are loaded.
21:55 westbaystars: And Ochiai-kantoku looks a bit perplexed in the first base dugout.
21:55 Firearm: bwahahaha
21:55 shin: not good
21:55 Firearm: and now, it's time to play Minnesota's favorite game, "How Will We Blow This?"
21:55 westbaystars: Ibata comes over to have a word with Takahashi.
21:56 westbaystars: Iiyama comes on to pinch hit.
21:56 westbaystars: He swings big at the first pitch up high.
21:56 westbaystars: Strike one.
21:56 westbaystars: Second offering by the left hander misses inside to the right handed pinch hitter.
21:57 westbaystars: Nakata is looking a bit nervous in the first base dugout.
21:57 westbaystars: But with Iiyama's second *big* whif, I think he can relax a bit.
21:57 torakichi: Glynn is looking despondent.
21:57 westbaystars: Fourth offering *just* misses up high over the outside corner. 2 and 2.
21:58 westbaystars: The fifth pitch is fouled back to the backstop. Iiyama finally gets wood on the ball.
21:58 westbaystars: Glynn has been glaring all game.
21:58 westbaystars: Next pitch misses outside.
21:58 westbaystars: Full count.
21:59 westbaystars: Shoubu pitch is lifted foul and out of play to the right side.
21:59 westbaystars: We'll do it all again.
21:59 westbaystars: Iiyama swings and misses the next pitch, two down.
21:59 shin: phew
22:00 Beethoven4: phew is right!
22:00 westbaystars: Tsuruoka is announced as the third pinch hitter in a row.
22:00 Firearm: Ochiai will probably change pitchers here
22:00 westbaystars: Hillman-kantoku going for brok.
22:00 torakichi: And there it is!
22:00 westbaystars: But the first pitch is grounded to the right side.
22:00 Firearm: for some reason Ochiai likes to have a different pitcher for every out of the 9th inning in a blowout
22:00 westbaystars: Never hit to the right side.
22:00 Firearm: tie series!
22:00 westbaystars: Araki up with it, and throws to first for the final out of the game.
22:01 westbaystars: As Firearm-san says, the Series is tied up 1-1.
22:01 shin: yes!
22:01 westbaystars: But the Dragons have shown their true colors, a big hitting team.
22:01 westbaystars: For the Chunichi Dragons, they scored 8 runs on 8 hits, committed no errors.
22:01 zman: This is more what I expected by the Dragons . . .
22:02 Firearm: they didn't show that all last year's series
22:02 Beethoven4: An exciting finish, it had me biting my nails! LOL
22:02 westbaystars: Nippon Ham had just 1 run on 4 hits while committing no errors.
22:02 zman: Credit to Darvish for shutting them down yesterday
22:02 Firearm: in fact, they scored as many runs today as they scored in all of last year's series
22:02 westbaystars: Cruz will do that to you.
22:02 westbaystars: Well, it's about time with that lineup.
22:02 Beethoven4: What exactly happened with that hit, was it a line drive caught?
22:03 shin: gtg now
22:03 shin: Thanks westbay san for the gamelog
22:03 Dave R: If the Fighters win a lot of 2-1 games, they might be up against the wrong team here.
22:03 westbaystars: Ochiai-kantoku had the running game going with Araki stealing two.
22:03 shin: thanks everyone for the company
22:03 torakichi: It looked to me like Chunichi did everything they needed to tonight. Upset Glynn, pitched well, ran well and...
22:03 zman: More credit to the Dragons pitching, Yahoo shows the Hammies team average at .080
22:03 westbaystars: He had the long ball going, with Lee and Morino.
22:03 torakichi: ...got that offence working.
22:03 Firearm: see you guys
22:03 Firearm: probably for game 3
22:04 Beethoven4: See you Shin, Firearm :]
22:04 westbaystars: Chunichi stranded 5 base runners, Nippon Ham 7 (despite just 4 hits).
22:05 Beethoven4: But you guys still think that the Fighters will win the next one?
22:05 torakichi: Meanwhile, now that I know what it's like, kudos to Westbaystars-san for his text commentaries.
22:05 westbaystars: Well, it's off to Nagoya Dome for Game 3 on Tuesday night.
22:05 torakichi: That takes some serious typing.
22:05 westbaystars: Nakata is called the Game Hero.
22:05 Firearm: Beethoven, it all depends on the Fighters' pitchers--it's obvious they're going to have to shut down the Dragons
22:05 Firearm: in order to win like last year
22:05 westbaystars: Throwing 106 pitches, striking out 5, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run (Seguignol's solo shot).
22:05 Beethoven4: +1 to that! Well Done, Westbaystars-san!!!! :]]
22:06 westbaystars: Walking 1 and hitting 1 batter.
22:06 westbaystars: I stated the Dragons in 5. I'm rooting for Nippon Ham, but still stand by that prediction.
22:07 zman: Four hits today for the Nippon
22:07 westbaystars: There's nothing like stepping into someone else's shoes to know what it's like, eh Torakichi?
22:08 westbaystars: That was two more hits than yesterday.
22:08 zman: Dragons in six as Darish will pitch again
22:09 westbaystars: In fact, 8 hits was double for Chunichi's hit count for the Series as well.
22:09 westbaystars: Last year Darvish and Kawakami were 1 and 1 against each other.
22:09 Beethoven4: Final score? I just want to be sure...
22:09 westbaystars: Kawakami won't fail like that again.
22:09 zman: SIx hits in two games, Hammies are as cold as the Hokkaido winter
22:10 westbaystars: (Ooo. I don't usually make predictions like that. What's come over me?)
22:10 Firearm: I said before the series that the Fighters would sweep
22:10 westbaystars: Final score: Chunic
Re: 2007 Nippon Series: Game 2
[ Author: Deanna | Posted: Oct 29, 2007 2:18 PM
| NIP Fan
]
Sorry I wasn't able to drop in for this one, but I went to a pretty awesome place to watch the game -- Hichori's parents' yakiniku restaurant! It's full of Fighters stuff and absolutely wonderful, and I get the feeling they're pretty used to having random crazy Fighters fans in there singing ouenka and all. Lots of fun. I actually completely forgot that the Fighters had lost the game because I had such a good time there.
But, this really doesn't bode well in some ways - the Dragons could maybe take the next three games at home, just like the Fighters did last year. Yikes. Well, we'll see what happens, I guess.
And yeah, I always say that it's not a real Fighters game without Yukio Tanaka pinch-hitting. I figured that with a blowout like that, there was no reason Hillman wouldn't give him an at-bat, and I was right.
But, this really doesn't bode well in some ways - the Dragons could maybe take the next three games at home, just like the Fighters did last year. Yikes. Well, we'll see what happens, I guess.
And yeah, I always say that it's not a real Fighters game without Yukio Tanaka pinch-hitting. I figured that with a blowout like that, there was no reason Hillman wouldn't give him an at-bat, and I was right.
About
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.
It is my sincere hope that once you learn a bit about what we're about here that you will join the community of contributors.
Michael Westbay
(aka westbaystars)
Founder
Copyright (c) 1995-2024 JapaneseBaseball.com.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Some rights reserved.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Some rights reserved.
I've got a bit of a double booking this evening from 6:00. A friend's grandmother passed away and the funeral services are this evening starting at 6:00. So I'll be a little late (an hour, maybe up to two) in joining the game. If anyone in Japan with a TV could call the game until I get home, I (and many others around the world) would greatly appreciate it.
Starting pitchers for tonight should be Glynn for the Fighters and Nakata for the Dragons.