September 20th Cheng v Lewis - Tigers are superb

Tigers needed to win this match very badly. They did so in grand style with excellent performances all round. Facing Lewis they destroyed the Carp pitcher in three innings and then proceeded to add runs at an obscene rate. Hiroshima were quite simply blown away and had no answer. Once again Kanemoto hit a home run this time with runners on. Arai though was the star driving in five runs. Cheng was excellent on the mound and it is nice to see the younger pitchers getting their chance at last. Brazell made his return to the top team and even though he didn't score any runs he is welcome back. Carp hit and hit but couldn't get runners home - this is something they need to do 2 runs on 10 hits is not adequate return for your efforts. The gap between Tigers and Carp is now 1.5 games and Tigers took a vital step towards the third place of the Climax Series. Scores

        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  R  H E
Carp    0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0  2 10 1
Tigers  0 0 5 0 6 3 0 0 X 14 15 0

Starting lineups

Carp
1. Higashide (Second)
2. Ishii (Short)
3. Phillips (Left)
4. Kurihara (First)
5. McClain (Third)
6. Amaya (Centre)
7. Hirose (Right)
8. Ishihara (Catcher)
9. Lewis (Pitcher)

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

Both sides needed to win this match badly and both sides would fight hard. Tigers superiority in quality would be the difference. Cheng started well, retiring the Carp in order and striking out two. Lewis also started in the same vein. Cheng ran into trouble in Carp's second. With one out McClain hit. This was followed by a hit from Amaya but Hirose struck out. Ishihara was next and he hit to load the bases. The next batter was Lewis and the first pitch he received went to first for the final out. Cheng had weathered that threat. Lewis was once again dominating in Tigers second, retiring the batters in order. Carp's third was where the first blow was struck. Cheng gave up a lead off hit to Higashide. He was bunted to second by Ishii but then Phillips got hold of his fifth pitch pounding it into the back screen for a 2 run home run 2-0 Carp. Kurihara flew out but McClain had a two base hit. Cheng walked Amaya to set up runners on first and second but then struck out Hirose to end the innings. This was a vital blow and would be rewarded the very next innings. It all started well for Lewis, Sakurai struck out but Kanoh hit. Then Cheng was out with three failed bunts and that was the end of the good news. Asai hit to set up runners on the corners. Hirano hit to drive in a run 2-1 Carp, runners on first and second. Toritani hit his first pitch to left, 2-2 scores tied, runners on first and second. Kanemoto then slammed his first pitch into the back screen - home run! 5-2 Tigers. Arai hit to centre but Brazell struck out to end the innings. It was the end of Lewis, he had been dismantled in the most emphatic way possible.,

Cheng then proceeded to protect the side retiring the Carp batters in order in the fourth. Carp's replacement pitcher for Lewis was Kojima. He started well retiring the batters in order but this was only the eye of the storm. Carp's fifth was also quiet as Cheng once again retired the batters in order. Asai led off the Tigers fifth with his second hit. Hirano bunted him to second. Toritani walked and then Kanemoto hit to Higashide who messed the take up and Kanemoto was safe, bases loaded. This time Tigers were not hitting sacrifice flies. Arai hit to centre driving in two runs 7-2 Tigers, runners on second and third. Sekimoto (pinch hitter and replacement first) hit to left to drive in two more runs 9-2 Tigers, runner on first. Then Sakurai took his first pitch deep for a two run home run 11-2 Tigers and the game was over as a contest. Finally, Kanoh grounded out and Cheng struck out looking but Tigers had done what they needed to and taken apart another Carp pitcher. Carp did try to fight back in their sixth. McClain led off with a hit and then Amaya hit. But here it went wrong as Cheng applied the brakes. He got Hirose to fly out to left and kept the runners on first and second and then induced Ishihara to hit into a double play. Perhaps surprisingly, given that he had given up six runs Kojima continued into the Tigers sixth. He struck out Asai but Hirano hit. Toritani grounded out and Brown decided to change his pitchers. He chose Takahiro Aoki who started with a centre hit to Kanemoto, runners on first and second. This brought up Arai who turned his second pitch to left for a three run home run 14-2 Tigers. Sekimoto grounded out to end the innings.

Cheng pitched Carp's seventh and with two out gave up a two base hit to Ishii. He was joined on base by Phillips whom Cheng walked but then Kurihara flew out to end the innings. A very nice pitching spell by Cheng who had ensured that the Carp could not get anything going. It's good to see him and Uezono in the top team at long last. Let's hope they both have long runs. Hayashi pitched Tigers seventh and started by dead balling Nohara (pinch hitter). Kanoh then hit to left and it looked dangerous for Carp. Hayashi though was more competent than his predecessors and retired the next three batters to end the innings scoreless. For Carp's eighth Mayumi chose Watanabe. He gave up a hit to Amaya with one out but then got a double play from Hirose to end the innings. Hayashi returned for Tigers eighth and gave up a hit to Arai but nothing came of this. Watanabe then pitched Carp's ninth and retired the batters in order striking out Kimura (replacement short) to end the innings. Tigers victory.

A crushing victory is the only way to describe this performance. Tigers had destroyed Lewis and the relief that followed him and Carp had had no answer. This time they had played like the better team. With Sakurai and Brazell back they have power and adaptability and even though Brazell did not do anything this game he will hit in future games. Significantly the batters hit with runners on and when this Tigers decide to play this is the result. Mayumi had done well in selecting Cheng who picked up his first central league victory but had also shown considerable character. This is a pitcher for the future and we can be glad we have him.