This is a site about Pro Yakyu (Japanese Baseball), not about who the next player to go over to MLB is. It's a community of Pro Yakyu fans who have come together to share their knowledge and opinions with the world. It's a place to follow teams and individuals playing baseball in Japan (and Asia), and to learn about Japanese (and Asian) culture through baseball.
It is my sincere hope that once you learn a bit about what we're about here that you will join the community of contributors.
Michael Westbay
(aka westbaystars)
Founder
In the top of the first inning, Ortiz hit a one out triple to right, then scored the first run of the game on Tani's home run to left. Orix jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. Jose then drove in the first of seven Orix runs in the third inning with a single up the middle. The Lions answered with two runs in the bottom of the third, but Orix continued to lead 9-2.
After grounding out to short in the 4th inning, Oritz hit a solo home run to left in the top of the sixth, showing he can hit to all parts of the field, and lifting Orix to a 11-2 lead. But the Lions hit around plus two in the bottom of the sixth, scoring eight runs to tighten game game 11-10.
Orix added another run in the seventh inning before Oriz grounded out to the pitcher to retire the side. But Leon's pitchers couldn't hold onto that two run lead, giving up single runs in the eighth and ninth innings to knot the game at 12-12.
Ortiz got Orix going in the top of the 10th inning with a lead-off double to left. From second base, he asked that the ball be taken out of play for his mantle case, as this completed his cycle. Unfortunately, he wasn't brought around to score, Roosevelt Brown needing a triple for the cycle, being intentionally walked after one out.
In the 12th inning, Oritz fouled out to the catcher and Brown hit into an inning ending double play to end Orix's last chance at a victory. Pitching did hold out, though, and they held Seibu scoreless despite three walks (one intentional). So the game ended in a 12-12 draw after five hours and four minutes.