August 28th Sugiyama v Chen - Kyuji blows a save but not the victory

This match saw the return of Fujikawa but he wasn't at his best. Sugiyama was merely mediocre and luckily the Dragons pitcher, Chen, was the same level. The match was exciting with the Dragons showing considerable spirit but in the end falling to a superior Tigers side. Line scores

        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  R  H E
Dragons 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 1  5  9 0
Tigers  1 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 1x 6 11 1

Starting lineups

1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Lin (Right)
6. Sekimoto (Third)
7. Takahashi (First)
8. Yano (Catcher)
9. Sugiyama (Pitcher)

Dragons
1. Ibata (Short)
2. Nakamura (Third)
3. Lee (Right)
4. Woods (First)
5. Morino (Second)
6. Hirata (Centre)
7. Inoue (Left)
8. Tanishige (Catcher)
9. Chen (Pitcher)

Sugiyama started shakily but you saw his best and his not so good in the same innings. He walked Ibata and then struck out Nakamura. Lee hit to put runners on first and third but then Sugiyama struck out the next two batters to end the innings. Morino was struck out looking - a pitch which sailed through the zone in rank impudence - he was flabbergasted. Tigers started with an Akahoshi hit. He was bunted to second by Hirano and advanced to third on a Toritani ground out. Kanemoto followed and he hit a high blooper which managed to land in the space between left and third. Ibata made a despairing dive for it but was nowhere near the ball when it landed 1-0 Tigers. Dragons second was quiet and the batters all grounded out. In Tigers second Yano hit but nothing came of it. Chen led off the Dragons third and was out. Next was Ibata who grounded out to Toritani except....Toritani made a dreadful error and Ibata was safe. This seemed to unsettle Sugiyama who then walked Nakamura to set up runners on first and second. Lee followed and hit a low ball over the right fence for a three run home run 3-1 Dragons. Sugiyama then struck out the next two batters. Lee has had a good series against the Tigers. The response was immediate - Akahoshi walked and then Hirano bunted but beat the throw to set up runners on first and second with no outs. Toritani grounded out to second getting Hirano out but making first safely (the double play didn't come off). Then came Kanemoto - he slammed his fifth pitch into the right stand for a 3 run home run 4-3 Tigers and the game was back in Tigers hands. The next two batters were quickly out and the action moved to the Dragons fourth. Inoue hit but nothing came of this. In Tigers fourth Yano hit with the same result but from now on the Dragons were always trying to catch up and never regained the initiative.

The Dragons fifth was straightforward everyone grounded out.In Tigers version Toritani hit but with no result. Amazingly (given that he had thrown 90 pitches) Sugiyama returned for the Dragons sixth and faced Woods (incidently Woods and Kanemoto are good friends and always joke with each other when Kanemoto is on first). He fired a straighball into the middle of the zone which Woods gratefully accepted and hoisted into the left stand for a home run 4-4 scores level. Next Morino hit and was bunted to second by Hirata but Sugiyama was able to get the next two batters to fly out and keep the score even. Chen walked Sekimoto in the Tigers sixth and after a fly out was replaced by Hirai. Yano bunted Sekimoto to second and Kobayashi took the mound. He delibrately walked Baldris and this brought up Akahoshi. He tried to hit to centre but not far enough and flew out to Hirata to end the innings. Watanabe took the Dragons seventh and interspersed with two strike outs gave up a hit to Ibata. This brought up Egusa who gave up a hit to Lee - runners on first and second with Woods next. He battled Egusa but the Tigers pitcher got him to ground out and the innings was over.

Kobayashi continued pitching in the Tigers seventh and walked Hirano. One out later Kanemoto grounded out to second which got Hirano but once again the double play did not come off and Kanemoto was safer (no one tried to bunt Hirano) Lin hit to centre and Kanemoto hustled round to third. Kobayashi exited and Asao took the mound. His second pitch to Sekimoto was a little high and he dispatched the ball into the right field for a hit 5-4 Tigers. Dragons eighth and Williams took the mound - no Kubota today. He did well but walked Delarosa (pinch hitter) on a full count. Both WIlliams and Yano were sure the final ball was a low strike and started to walk off but the umpire ruled the pitch a ball. Replays indicated that the umpire was wrong. However, nothing came of this and the innings ended scoreless.

Tigers eighth was pitched by Nakazato who retired the side in order. So to the return of Fujikawa - one thought that he would pick up the save easily. He gave up a lead off hit to Tatsunami (pinch hitter). Then Ibata bunted - Fujikawa had anticipated the bunt and was on it quickly firing the ball to second for the out. Ibata was safe on first. However, after this excellent piece of work Fujikawa released a wild forkball and Ibata moved round to second. Next batter was Nakamura who battled Fujikawa (who didn't look secure at this stage). Finally, he got hold of a pitch which he drove into centre and Ibata was home 5-5 scores level. Fujikawa then got Lee to hit into a double play and the innings was over. Takahashi pitched the Tigers ninth and tried to intimidate the Tigers batters by throwing pitches close to the body. It didn't work. Hirano hit and then Toritani laid down the perfect bunt - Hirano was on second. Kanemoto was next and after two intimidatory pitches (one of which was near his head) drove the ball into the right field. Hirano flew round the bases to be held up at third. Once again Wada interveined to stop a run being scored as Hirano would have made it with ease. You have to take your chances and if you stop you risk missing out. Wada needs to realise this. Lin was next and also had to avoid an intimidatory pitch. He looked for the sacrifice fly and hit to centre - it was deep enough for Hirano to make home 6-5 Tigers sayonara victory.

A hard fought victory with great play all round. Tigers batters had done well and had hit back when needed. They had retained the initiative very well and scored when needed. Once again in the latter stages you felt that they had a little bit extra that the Dragons didn't have and could lift themselves to score at will. A great game for Kanemoto who was involved in everything. Fujikawa picked up the win instead of the save. The Magic Number is still switched off as the Giants swept the BayStars but the games between the two sides remain at seven. The Climax Magic is now 20.