October 8th Andoh v Utsumi - Giants take the lead

The Tigers championship hopes are almost over. They needed to win this game but in fact failed. It is still mathematically possible to win the championship but this relies on the Giants losing two out of their next three games and the Tigers winning all of their three remaining games. Giants did play well but still needed a large slice of luck to win - sixth innings bases loaded. Hiyama hits to right but as he hits his bat breaks and turns a right scoring hit into an easy second ground out and the end of the innings. Tigers failed to take advantage of Utsumi and to prepare adequately. Analyses of all the players and the tactics employed will be posted after the season finishes. Line scores

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

Starting lineups

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

Giants
1. Suzuki (Centre)
2. Wakiya (Second)
3. Ogasawara (Third)
4. Ramirez (Left)
5. Lee (First)
6. Kamei (Right)
7. Abe (Catcher)
8. Sakamoto (Short)
9. Utsumi (Pitcher)

Utsumi would deteriorate badly towards the end of his spell but even so he gave the Giants three good innings which proved to be vital. Still, the Tigers batters should have used better tactics and made him work. A contrast Utsumi's first innings took four pitches, Andoh's took 24. Giants made Andoh work and were able to reap the benefits later. Akahoshi led off with a hit off the first pitch. Then Sekimoto bunted but his bunt didn't go far enough and Abe threw to second. The ball flew to first and Giants had a double play. Why a batter with 50 RBIs is asked to bunt like that escapes me. It is a waste and if they need someone to bunt why not Hirano? He isn't hitting well but can still bunt. Arai lasted two pitches before flying out and the innings was over. Andoh struggled in his first. Like Utsumi he gave up a leadoff hit but two outs later gave up another hit to Ramirez, runners on first and second. Lee though grounded out and the innings was over. In Tigers second Imaoka walked but a Toritani double play ended the innings. Giants second saw Sakamoto hit but was otherwise quiet. Tigers third was quiet with Utsumi retiring the batters in order. However, Giants third was anything but quiet. Andoh got Suzuki out but then gave up a two base hit to Wakiya. Next was Ogasawara who walked and then Ramirez hit to load the bases - all with one out. Lee hit a very nice two base two run shot 2-0 Giants still two outs needed. Kamei struck out and Abe was deliberately walked to get at Sakamoto. This worked and he flew out to end the innings.

Signs of Utsumi's deterioration started to appear in the Tigers fourth. Once again Akahoshi hit and once again Sekimoto bunted, this time successfully. With Akahoshi on second Utsumi walked Arai and then faced Kanemoto. The Tigers No 4's record against Utsumi is rather poor and he struck out. Then came Imaoka who hit his first pitch straight to Sakamoto for an easy out - end of innings. In Giants fourth Wakiya hit and beat out the throw to first with two outs. He then tried to steal second but was thrown out to end the innings. Once again Tigers put runners on base in the fifth and failed to take advantage of it. With one out Yano hit. Hirano bunted him to second and this was his sole contribution to the game. Takahashi (pinch hitter) walked but then Akahoshi flew out to end the innings. Takahashi had replaced Andoh who obviously wouldn't have survived another innings. He had thrown 84 pitches and had really been indifferent. Williams took the mound for the Tigers. He got the first two outs but then lost control and dead balled Lee. Next batter Kamei who took advantage of a loose pitch to hit and set up runners on first and second. Williams didn't panic and struck out Abe looking with a fantastic pitch to end the innings.

Utsumi returned for the Tigers sixth and really ran into trouble. Sekimoto grounded out but then Arai hit. Kanemoto walked but Imaoka flew out to a very nice catch by Kamei. Next Utsumi walked Toritani in four to load the bases, his control wandering seriously. Yano followed and took two quick strikes but then worked the count full and got the fourth ball - walk in run 2-1 Giants bases loaded. Hara decided that Utsumi was finished - he had ridden his luck in the latters stages of his session and now didn't even have that. Yamaguchi took the mound and faced Hiyama (pinch hitter). As described above Hiyama's bat broke as he hit - a huge stroke of luck for the Giants and similar to the situation on Sunday when Woods bat had broken facing Kroon. On both occasions these were innings ending incidents. Atchison replaced Williams and was awesome striking out all three batters to ensure that the Giants sixth was scoreless. Tigers seventh saw Akahoshi's third hit. He advanced to second on Sekimoto's ground out but Arai failed to make anything of it and flew out.

Atchison returned for the Giants seventh and got the first two outs. Ramirez was next and Yano called for a shuuto which Atchison delivered. Unfortunately, for Tigers it met an effortless swing from Ramirez and landed high in the centre stand for a solo home run 3-1 Giants. Lee took two strikes and then was walked to get at the pinch hitter (so Tigers supposed) for Yamaguchi. Instead Yamaguchi himself batted and surprised everyone by hitting his second pitch. This set up runners on first and second with Abe next. He struck out again, this time swinging and the innings was over. As Yamaguchi had batted it was clear he was going to pitch the eighth which seemed to be taking a bit of a risk. Kanemoto led off with a two base hit and seemed that the risk was too much. However, Imaoka grounded out weakly to first which did have the effect of moving Kanemoto to third but he should have done better. Toritani was worse though - striking out ridiculously to a ball low and well outside the plate. At this point Hara switched to Toyoda who got Yano to ground out and end the innings. Fujikawa pitched the Giants eighth which meant he would have pitched another double innings session if Tigers had managed to overhaul the Giants. He was secure retiring his three batters in order. Kroon took the Giants ninth and unlike his last two starts was in control retiring the three batters he faced in order and striking out Akahoshi to end the innings and game. Giants victory.

Tigers offense once again had failed to take advantage of the chances. They look tired and clueless but even so the Giants did need a slice of luck (Hiyama's broken bat) to help them. Giants had played well and had looked the more confident team. This does not bode well for the Climax series as Tigers will have to beat the Giants if they want to reach the Japan series. This will be very difficult.