Last year when the Tigers brought in a rookie to face the Hiroshima Carp, it went REALLY badly. For the rookie, that is. The team covered his butt in the end. But this rookie wanted no part of those dramatics, and put on an incredible performance in his pro debut.
Starting Pitchers: Haruto Takahashi (0-0) vs. Kyohei Nakamura (0-0)
1
Hiroki Uemoto earned a one-out walk, and came home on a Yoshio Itoi double to left center. Nice to give the rookie a lead to work with after his smooth first inning.
🐯ヨッシャ〜❗
糸井が先制タイムリー
ツーベースですよ❗👏🏻😆#阪神タイガース #糸井嘉男 pic.twitter.com/NsX5ODxqlt— ⚾埼とら⚾今年も怪我無く！ (@yakyuragu) April 11, 2018
Hanshin 1, Hiroshima 0
5
Uemoto reached base with one out once again (this time on a single), after which Itoi, Wilin Rosario and Yusuke Ohyama looked carefully at enough bad pitches to give their mate a slightly bigger lead. Kento Itohara then slapped one to shallow left for a couple more touches of home plate.
🐯ヨッシャ〜❗
糸原が今季、初打点です。👏🏻😆#阪神タイガース #糸原健斗 pic.twitter.com/G1h7v29R9J
— ⚾埼とら⚾今年も怪我無く！ (@yakyuragu) April 11, 2018
Hanshin 4, Hiroshima 0
8 & 9
Despite this line… 7 IP, 84 TP, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 R, Takahashi’s night was done. Reliever Suguru Iwazaki once again was the victim of some bad luck, as Itohara fumbled a grounder to second, and ultimately a run scored. Had the out been recorded, the shutout would have lived to see another inning. Just the same, Rafael Dolis worked around a two-out double to preserve the win.