July 1st Iwata v Yamamoto - The 4000th victory

So Tigers recorded their 4000th franchise victory which makes them the third team in the Central League to do this (thanks Gen). It was an easy victory against an apathetic BayStars lineup with a terrible pitcher. Iwata also threw a lot of rubbish but the BayStars just didn't have the will to exploit this. Mayumi once again screwed up having Iwata pitch an unnecessary eighth. With the game at 7-1 there was no need for Iwata to pitch the innings - in fact he could have safely been pulled after the sixth. However, Mayumi continued his stupid practice of over-working his starters. He realy is a fool who has no clue about handling pitching effectively. He did have Fukuhara warming up in the bullpen but didn't use him and it is clear that his view of pitching hasn't changed since when he was a player. Scores

          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  R  H E
BayStars  0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  1  3 0
Tigers    1 0 1 2 2 1 0 3 X 10 17 1

Starting lineups

BayStars
1. Ishikawa (Short)
2. Morimoto (Centre)
3. Shimozono (Right)
4. Murata (Third)
5. Nakamura (First)
6. Sledge (Left)
7. Watanabe (Second)
8. Takeyama (Catcher)
9. Yamamoto (Pitcher)

Tigers
1. Murton (Right)
2. Hirano (Centre)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Arai (Third)
5. Brazell (First)
6. Sekimoto (Second)
7. Kanemoto (Left)
8. Fujii (Catcher)
9. Iwata (Pitcher)

BayStars started poorly and in fact continued that way throughout the match. The first saw the three batters fall in order with Shimozono striking out looking to end the innings. Despite this Iwata did not pitch well either and did not really communicate with Fujii at all this match. Yamamoto who has pitched two victories against Tigers seems to have deteriorated and was just dreadful. Murton grounded out but then Hirano hit to second and made first safely. Toritani hit to right to put runners on first and second. However, Arai flew out to right but this did move Hirano to third. Then Yamamoto dead balled Brazell to load the bases. Next was Sekimoto who collected a painful dead ball on his elbow - oshidashi 1-0 Tigers, bases loaded with two outs. Sekimoto needed a little treatment on his elbow but seemed OK. Kanemoto followed and as his normal practice these days was out making a totally pointless swing to fly out to right in foul ground. Iwata then had no problems retiring the batters in the BayStars second but didn't look that convincing doing it. Tigers second saw nothing from Fujii or Iwata but Murton hit to left. Hirano though drove to second to end that innings. BayStars third and if proof were needed as to how badly they are playing this innings provided it in droves. Iwata was dismal and seemed to have no connection to his catcher at all. His first two pitches to Watanabe were balls and then we got a strike. The next pitch you knew somehow was going to be hit and Watanabe drilled it very nicely along the baseline for a two base hit. Takeyama then collected a dead ball - runners on first and second. Yamamoto shaped to bunt and Iwata was so intent on avoiding this that he was all over the place and Yamamoto ended up walking to load the bases with no outs. Here things changed. Iwata did pitch better but BayStars batting wasn't up to scratch - they should have at least engineered one run from the situation. Ishikawa struck out swinging to one that kept low. Then Morimoto did the same. Finally we had Shimozono who hit weakly back to Iwata for the final out - a superb chance blown by the BayStars. Tigers fans weren't complaining though. After that debacle Tigers put the game beyond doubt in the bottom. Toritani grounded out easily to Yamamoto but then Arai hit hard and deep into the left stand for a solo home run 2-0 Tigers - they weren't going to lose the way the BayStars were playing. Brazell hit to left but Sekimoto struck out. Kanemoto hit to second who fielded but made the wrong choice shaping to throw to second when he could have got Kanemoto at first (it would have been close though). Tigers had runners on first and second but Fujii grounded out to second. Fujii really is a waste of space.

BayStars fourth saw the batters fall in order lamely surrendering to Iwata. Tigers fourth was the end of Yamamoto who had been rubbish throughout the game. Iwata flew out to left but Murton drilled his first pitch to left past a rather slow Murata for a two base hit. Hirano hit his second pitch nicely into left centre for a timely two base hit 3-0 Tigers. Then Toritani hit to right 4-0 Tigers, runner on first. Arai struck out swinging and Brazell grounded out to end the innings. Iwata then walked Watanabe in BayStars fifth - one struggles to think why - he walked in four balls but Iwata didn't seem to want to take him on. Takeyama then hit into a second double play. The final batter was Ikki (pinch hitter) who struck out swinging. Sanada pitched Tigers fifth but didn't bring any improvement in the pitching. Sekimoto hit to right on a full count. Kanemoto then hit a two base also to right - runners on second and third. Kanemoto was pinch run for by Asai. Fujii hit a grounder to third but Sekimoto wisely didn't attempt home. Then Iwata grounded out to second which left Murton. He hit a single to right bringing home both runners - it is nice to see a runner coming in from second for a change, 6-0 Tigers, runner on first. This brought a pitching change - Shinohara taking over the mound duties. He got Hirano to fly out to short to end the innings. Once again Iwata was poor and walked Ishikawa in four balls to start the BayStars sixth. Morimoto struck out swinging but then Shimozono took a dead ball, runners on first and second. This became runners on second and third as Iwata unleashed a dead ball which even Fujii couldn't stop (and he has been good at those). Murata hit a grounder to Toritani who threw to first for the second out but allowed Ishikawa to reach home safely 6-1 Tigers, runner on second. Finally, Nakamura flew out to right and the innings was over. Shinohara worked hard to get Toritani out in Tigers sixth but the Tigers short drove the ball to right centre and then used his speed to reach third safely. Arai hit into centre - maybe a bit close but Toritani tagged up and went for home anyway beating the throw which was too high 7-1 Tigers. Brazell grounded out but Sekimoto hit a two base to left and was pinch run for by Uemoto (why?). However, Asai flew out to right to end the innings.

Iwata then returned for BayStars seventh rather surprisingly. He faced Sledge who hit a straightforward grounder to Uemoto who had replaced Sekimoto at second. Another strange move this, HIrano was the logical choice but Mayumi must get his favourites in play. Uemoto screwed up dropping the take and allowing Sledge to reach first safely. Watanabe then grounded out to first and this moved Sledge round to second. Niinuma (pinch hitter) then struck out before the next pinch hitter Kinjoh grounded out to third and ended the innings. Fujie was given the dubious honour of pitching the Tigers seventh and did rather well retiring the batters in order including Iwata. Here things were really strange - why make Iwata pitch the eighth? It just wasn't necessary at all and one can only attribute it to stupidity or petty vinditiveness on the part of Mayumi. Ishikawa grounded out but Morimoto walked. Shimozono then hit into a double play to end the innings. Ohhara took the mound for BayStars who were by now a beaten team just going through the motions. Hirano led off Tigers eighth with a walk Toritani hit to right to set up runners on first and second but then Arai hit into a double play which took Hirano to third. Even this stroke of good fortune didn't stop the BayStars. Brazell hit a single to left which brought home the run 8-1 Tigers, runner on first. Then Uemoto hit a two run home run to left - the first of his career and a lucky finale to a fine game by the Tigers 10-1. Finally Asai flew out to short to end the innings. There was still the BayStars ninth - could they salvage a little pride? They faced Kubota, Mayumi finally having been persuaded to switch Iwata. Murata flew out to left but Nakamura was able to hit to short and beat Toritani. Sledge flew out in foul ground but Watanabe had his second two base of the night - this one to left, runners on second and third. However, BayStars were running out of outs and Kubota struck out Naitoh looking to end the game. Tigers victory.

A comfortable victory by the Tigers who never really looked threatened. Iwata picked up his fourth win in a row and now stands at 5-5 but didn't need to pitch eight innings. This was just unnecessary. BayStars had been very poor and Tigers had made them pay for it. This was good but there had been too many chances wasted with Kanemoto once again proving not particularly good despite his two hits. Murton is hot and he is driving the team on - hitting and bringing home runners. This is useful as once the team gets past Brazell it really has no one, Sekimoto doesn't drive in runs, Kanemoto doesn't drive in runs, Fujii definitely doesn't drive in runs. Mayumi's liking for using his lightweight favourites also needs to be adressed, despite Uemoto's home run he cannot be considered someone who drives in a lot of runs. A good victory but we need 1-5 to continue these performances.