Two quick games

Suddenly Tigers introduce a new pitcher and to go with him Shimizu is brought up as catcher. Why is it I feel that strategy and selections are made on a whim. The new pitcher was Moriya and whilst it is great to see youth getting a try one wonders what criteria are used. Probably none.
Anyway onto Koshien where the Swallows were visiting. Fujinami was having an off day. He got a 2 run lead in the bottom of the first courtesy of a Nishioka double on a loaded base situation but then blew it next innings. Swallows then took the lead twice but Tigers hauled them back and by the fourth the score was 4-4. Tigers hauled the score back by use of sacrifice flies and Swallows as they would demonstrate in the next game were terrible in bases loaded situations. The stasis continued until the eighth when Tigers blew the game open destroying the Swallow's relief pitcher Perez in the process. Toritani, Fukudome, Kanoh and Takayama all helped themselves to RBIs and the score was 8-4 Tigers. After that the ninth was a canter and Tigers ran out easy winners.
Moriya's first ever top team start was one he would rather forget. He was competitive in the first but that was all. Swallows jumped all over him in the second for two runs and even though Tigers pulled one back courtesy of a Gomez home run it was always going to be difficult. Moriya bled runs and by the time he exited the game in the fifth, Swallows were 4-1 up and the bases were loaded with no outs. Once again Swallows proved to be useless in the situation adding only one more run 5-1. However, their pitcher, the submariner Yamanaka was able to exploit Tigers traditional inability to deal with his style and the Swallows relief kept a tight rein on the latter part of the game. Tigers couldn't add to their score and Swallows ran out easy winners. Shimizu pitched the whole game and one hopes he will stay around. Certainly the use of Imanari wasn't exactly the most brilliant of moves by Kanemoto and given the propensity of the latter to pinch hit catchers then a third catcher is essential.