June 16th Kubo v Masaru Takeda - Fighters falter

With the latest run of five losses Mayumi found himself with his back to the wall. The crowd at this game did not fill the stadium suggesting that fans are not turning out in sufficient numbers. Furthermore both Minami president and Sakai owner indicated significant disatisfaction with the performance of the team so far. Both will have been getting an earful from the fans and both referred to fan discontent. Sakai went furthest saying that players were not performing as they should and that this had to change and quickly. He also indicated (though without names) that some older or non-performing players would not be on the team much longer. Implicit in this statement is also an indication that Mayumi has to get his finger out. A special committee under Hoshino SD has already been set up to examine areas for change.

In what may be a linked move, Tigers are in talks to trade Taiyo Fujita for Seibu's Shogo Akada. Fujita has been an ineffective pitcher at best and it has been decided to dispose of him to bolster centre field backup for Akahoshi who is struggling. Hirano of course can play centre but is needed mainly for right and second. Brazell became the seventh Tiger to hit home runs in four consecutive games and the first for 10 years (the last was Mark Johnson in 1999). Arai also continued his improvement as Nippon Ham once again got close but lacked the extra to overhaul their opponents. Kubo picked up his second win and his first hit in the top levels and very useful it was too. The team had a much more Okada like batting lineup and it worked for this game. Box scores

          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Fighters  2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 6 0
Tigers    0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 X 4 5 0

Starting lineups

Fighters
1. Tanaka (Second)
2. Itoi (Centre)
3. Inaba (Right)
4. Takahashi (First)
5. Sledge (Left)
6. Koyano (Third)
7. Kaneko (Short)
8. Ohno (Catcher)
9. Masaru Takeda (Pitcher)

Tigers
1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Sekimoto (Second)
3. Arai (Third)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Brazell (First)
6. Sakurai (Right)
7. Toritani (Short)
8. Kanoh (Catcher)
9. Kubo (Pitcher)

Kubo's start was not what one would have wanted. Tanaka led off the game with a two base hit to left. In fact he was tempted to go for third but thought better of it and managed to dive for second safely. Itoi grounded out which took Tanaka to third and set up the sacrifice fly. Maybe this is what Inaba was thinking of but he hit the ball so well that it was a comfortable home run 2-0 Fighters. Takahashi followed with a hit and Kubo then walked Sledge as he struggled to regain his control, runners on first and second with one out. However, Koyano obligingly hit into a double play to end the innings and save Kubo's bacon. Neither pitcher would be consistent. Takeda's best innings was his first. He did dead ball Sekimoto with one out but then Sekimoto was out as Arai grounded out. Arai was safe but Kanemoto didn't do anything and the innings was scoreless. Kubo's second was a complete contrast to his first. He was in control and struck out his three batters with ease (admittedly the last one being Takeda but see below). Takeda started to go downhill in Tiger's second. He faced Brazell who hammered his fourth pitch high into the third tier of Kyocera Dome for a solo home run 2-1 Fighters. The next three batters tried to accelerate the score but all fell easily. So far things were going OK for Fighters. They would continue that way in the Fighters third. Kubo didn't pitch this one well and walked Tanaka. He was bunted to second by Itoi and then Inaba tried to hit to centre. His bat literaly exploded as he made contact and what might have been a hit ended up as a pitcher liner, two out. Kubo then walked Takahashi but got Sledge to ground out and end the innings without damage. For Takeda the wheels would come off the cart dramatically though. He faced Kubo who had approached the plate looking determined and swinging vigorously. After a ball followed by a strike Kubo hit nicely to left putting it over the short and third into the gap - a two base hit. It was Kubo's first hit of his baseball career and a nice one at that but one must say it was lucky. This seemed to unsettle Takeda who then gave up a two base hit to Sekimoto which drove in Kubo 2-2 scores tied, runner on second. This innings it Fighters outfield stood too far in and consequently had to turn and chase most of the hits. Sekimoto then tried to steal third. Ohno's throw was too high and Koyano had to jump to take it as Sekimoto head slid safely onto base. Next batter, Arai and he hit a slider nicely to left for a two run home run 4-2 Tigers. Kanemoto hit to right, once again behind the fielders and he also stole third - Ohno's throwing wasn't good. The next two batters though were unable to convert Kanemoto and the innings ended.

Kubo's pitching was much better in Fighters fourth - with two out he did give up a hit to Ohno but Nakata (pinch hitter) flew out to centre and no score resulted. Nakata had been pinch hitting fror Takeda whom Nashida had decided would not last another innings. He had rapidly gone downhill in the third. His replacement for the Tigers fourth was Miyamoto who would pltch very well. He started by retiring the three batters in faced in order, this time Kubo didn't hit. Kubo then ran into more serious trouble in the Fighters fifth. With one out Itoi hit. Inaba flew out and with two out and a runner on first things looked OK. The batter was Takahashi. Kubo let go a wild pitch and this took Itoi round to third. Takahashi then hit along the first baseline into the corner, more than enough time for Itoi to make home 4-3 Tigers, runner on second and the score was getting close. Sledge once again grounded out to end the innings and Kubo had preserved his lead. Miyamoto walked Sekimoto in Tigers fifth but Arai hit into a double play to end the innings. Watanabe replaced Kubo who had shown some very good pitching (the second innings) and some very forgettable pitching (the first and fifth innings). Mayumi decided not to risk him with another innings and this was a sound decision. His choice of Watanabe also proved to be good. He retired the batters in order and looked much happier in middle relief. Miyamoto continued with the Tigers sixth and also retired the batters in order.

For Fighters seventh Mayumi summoned Williams, one of the players under threat. Maybe this galvanized him or maybe it was just a good day as Williams was like his old self striking out all three batters he faced in a devastating piece of pitching. For Tigers seventh Nashida chose Hayashi. He also pitched well retiring the batters in order. Fighters eighth was Atchison and the first batter he faced was Inaba. Inaba hit along the third baseline the ball bouncing in play and heading for foul ground. Arai who was standing behind third dived, snagged the ball at full stretch and threw to first where Brazell took superbly for the out. A great piece of fielding which saved a two base hit. The next two batters were retired easily and the score remained the same. Hayashi returned for Tigers eighth and ran into some problems. He walked Akahoshi who was bunted to second by Sekimoto. Arai struck out on a full count and Kanemoto was walked to get at Brazell. He grounded out and the innings was over. In the game before with a one run deficit (Dragons 11-10) Fighters had faced another star closer and hadn't been able to overcome him. This time they faced Fujikawa who was not at his best. Quite simply his control wasn't good and he had to work for his outs. That being said he is still Fujikawa. Koyano was first followed by Kaneko and finally Nioka (pinch hitter), end of innings. Tigers victory.

Kubo picked up his second win and the relief had been very good. Fujikawa got his sixth save but had been the least impressive. One can say that Kubo earned this victory as he had had to work for it but overall the Tigers still have much more room for improvement. Akahoshi is really not effective at the moment and Toritani doesn't seem to know what his bat is for. Even though Japanese teams do not normally get rid of managers after one year this may happen with Mayumi if the team doesn't improve. More wins like this one are an urgent necessity for him.