June 3rd Andoh v Tanaka - Fujikawa almost blows it

A much welcome victory based on fine pitching and some good batting from the bottom of the order. For a while any hope of victory looked illusory as Ma-kun dominated the Tigers batting and looked to be heading towards a complete game shutout. Mayumi shuffled his lineup again and this time used Toritani as leadoff batter (he indicated that a move was possible). Whilst it may work I am not convinced by the idea of Sekimoto at number three - it is time for the Tigers to bring Arai back to that position. Fujikawa still looks shaky and his antics did call to mind a notorious meltdown by Kubota when he was still the Tigers closer against the very same team. Box scores

               1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Tigers         0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 5 1  
Golden Eagles  0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 8 1

Starting lineups

Tigers
1. Toritani (Short)
2. Akahoshi (Centre)
3. Sekimoto (First)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Arai (Third)
6. Hiyama (DH)
7. Katsuragi (Right)
8. Kanoh (Catcher)
9. Hirano (Second)

Pitcher was Andoh

Golden Eagles
1. Watanabe (Short)
2. Kosaka (Second)
3. Kusano (Third)
4. Yamasaki (DH)
5. Teppei (Centre)
6. Masato Nakamura (Left)
7. Norihiro Nakamura (First)
8. Shima (Catcher)
9. Hijirisawa (Right)

Pitcher was Tanaka

Tigers needed to win this game badly but they were faced with a hard climb, against the Golden Eagles ace Ma-kun. He would be superb for seven innings and started well striking out the Tigers in order. Tigers pitcher Andoh was not so in control. In Golden Eagles first he ran into immediate problems giving up a lead off hit to Watanabe. He was bunted to second by Kosaka and one out later Andoh walked Yamasaki to set up runners on first and second. However, Teppei grounded out and the innings was over. Tigers second innings followed the same pattern as the first - batters falling in order. In Golden Eagles Masato Nakamura hit and made second on Norihiro Nakamura's ground out but didn't go any further and the innings was scoreless. Tigers third was the same as the first two innings as the batters had no answer to Ma-kun. Andoh ran into trouble in the third. Watanabe who would prove a pesky nuisance hit a two base. Kosaka bunted him to third and then Kusano hit a deep sacrifice fly to centre 1-0 Golden Eagles. The final batter Yamasaki flew out but with Ma-kun pitching so well you felt that this was enough.

Tigers fourth was quiet as the batters fell in order. Likewise Golden Eagles fourth was quiet as Andoh found his stride and retired the batters in order. Tigers fifth saw the first batter get on base, a two out walk to Hiyama which nevertheless didn't result in anything happening. Golden Eagles fifth was quiet and the batters fell in order - very nice pitching by Andoh. Tigers sixth saw their first hit, a two base to Toritani. Once again nothing came of it. Golden Eagles sixth followed the pattern of the last two innings as the batters were retired in order. Andoh after he gave up the run was pitching wonderfully well and keeping the Tigers in contention. Ma-kun might have been better overall over the seven innings but Andoh here matched him pitch for pitch - great work.

Tigers seventh was quiet with the batters falling in order but Kanemoto was unlucky. He checked his swing well before he reached the danger mark but was harshly judged and was given out. Golden Eagles seventh was more exciting as Andoh ran into trouble in his final innings. With one out Masato Nakamura hit the ball back at Andoh and it cannoned off his thigh for a infield hit. Andoh said he was OK but the very next batter Norihiro Nakamura hit to right setting up runners on first and third with one out. Things looked very dangerous. Andoh continued and struck out Shima in a nice piece of deceptive pitching. Masato Nakamura had advanced way off third and Kanoh noticed this gunning his throw to Arai to block the return. Nakamura was then run down to make the final out and the innings was scoreless. Careless work by the Golden Eagles and nice work by the Tigers. Andoh had pitched very, very well indeed and had thrown 102 pitches with just one walk and five hits. Tanaka returned for the Tigers eighth and why not - he had pitched superbly and was on track for a complete game shutout but it wouldn't turn out that way. Leadoff was Hiyama who slammed the ball into right centre past Teppei. He looked a bit slow in responding and certainly didn't seem to have the same ability in centre as Akahoshi. The ball stayed in and so Hiyama was free to do as he wished which in this case was taking three bases. A fine piece of running and a good situation for the Tigers. Next batter was Katsuragi and despite the danger you felt that Ma-kun would prevail. He didn't - Katsuragi drove the ball into right field for a hit 1-1 scores tied, runner on first and no outs. Kanoh was next and hitting to left centre produced another three base hit for the Tigers, Katsuragi was home 2-1 Tigers. This brought up Hirano who hit nicely to centre driving Kanoh in 3-1 Tigers, runner on first. Ma-kun had disintergrated suddenly and completely and the only option was for Nomura to replace him as quickly as possible. The lucky individual was Arime who did quite well. Toritani tried to bunt but was only successful in getting Hirano out (though he himself was safe on first). Akahoshi then bunted and Arime ran in to take and throw but he failed and Tigers had runners on first and second. However, neither Sekimoto (whose deep fly to centre almost evaded Teppei) or Kanemoto did anything and the innings was over. Mayumi went with the improving Williams for Golden Eagles eighth. He started with one of his trademark strikeouts but then gave up a entitled two base hit to Watanabe. Williams didn't panic and in fact blew away the next batter Shiokawa (pinch hitter) in three. He then faced Kusano who hit his first pitch straight to Hirano for a straightforward ground out except that Hirano fumbled the ball and the error allowed Kusano to reach first safely with Watanabe on third. Yamasaki was next and hit a deep fly to right which was nicely taken by Katsuragi - end of innings. Arime continued for the Tigers ninth and gave up a lead off walk to Arai. Two outs later he suddenly lost his control and deliberately walked Kanoh - runners on first and second. Koyama was brought in for the final out (Baldris - replacement second) and duly got it. Fujikawa took the mound for the final innings and was immediately in trouble. He gave up a hit to Teppei straight away and then faced Masato Nakamura. A feeble pitch was dispatched to right centre where it obligingly bounced over the boundary fence for an entitled two base hit. Teppei on first was unable to advance beyond third and Tigers had a lucky escape as he had the time to make home easily. With runners on second and third Fujikawa and Kanoh decided to go for a very risky strategy, they walked Yamasaki to load the bases with no outs. Fujikawa would have to pitch superbly well to save the game. He started well getting pinch hitter, Kenshi to line out to second with the runners locked on base. Then Nakashima (replacement right) hit a sacrifice fly and Teppei was home, 3-2 Tigers, runners on first and second. This brought up Watanabe who proved to be the last batter grounding out to Toritani. Tigers victory.

A much better game than the previous night. The pitching had been of a higher quality and Tigers had taken their chances, through the bottom of the order which had exploded in the eighth. Ma-kun's meltdown couldn't have been predicted though as there was no indication. Golden Eagles had suffered from the entitled two base in the latter innings and given Fujikawa's poor pitching this was a blessing for the Tigers. Still they had competed hard and the game was always in doubt until the final out. Tigers can learn something from their spirit. Fujikawa picked up his fifth save and the victory went to Andoh.