Death by Home Run - July 3, 2013

You know how we gave up 5 runs yesterday on three home runs, two with runners on, to all runs allowed to be driven in by home runs? Well, we gave up three home runs again tonight, all with runners on, for 7 runs. But Yakult actually had to earn their 8th run the long way, by hitting the ball in play.

On the bright side, Nyjer Morgan, who's been really hot of late, hit home runs #4 and #5 while going 4 for 5 and driving in 5 of Yokohama's 6 runs.

If you did the math, you noticed that we lost again, 6-8.

I know what you're thinking. With all those home runs, did it effect the Home Run Title race?

Yes, it did. Wladimir Balentien hit #27, pulling two ahead of Tony Blanco who, despite a few really big swings, went 0 for 5 on the night. That makes home runs on three games against Yokohama for the Yakult slugger, accounting for his last 4 home runs.

With Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh in the lineup, it was revealed that Norihiro Nakamura is suffering from discomfort in his left knee. Nakahata-kantoku said that it happened while making a play the day before. Nakamura and Alex Ramirez both participated in a recognition ceremony for reaching 2,000 hits with Yokohama's mayor in the morning.

Kentaro Takasaki started for the BayStars and, while not exactly blowing the Swallows away, held them to no runs on 3 hits through the first 4 innings. But then the 5th inning started. In the 5th, Takasaki faced 9 birds, allowing former BayStar Ryoji Aikawa a game tying 3-run home run followed by a base hit then pinch hitter Yasushi Iihara a 2-run home run to give away the lead.

Teruaki Yoshikawa followed in the 6th inning, allowing a 1-out walk then a 2-out 2-run home run to Balentien, as mentioned above. Yoshikawa did settle down and threw fine in the 7th inning.

Trailing by 1 run, Shigeru Kaga and Kazumasa Kikuchi split the 8th inning without allowing a run. Then Atori Ohta, after a leadoff double, saw the runner go to third on a sacrifice bunt. Akinori Iwamura then grounded a pitch to Blanco at first, but he was unable to get the ball out of his glove to throw home, so he made the out at first base, falling behind at this point 6-8.