The Hanshin Tigers received great news on Monday, as ninth year import pitcher Randy Messenger was named to his first ever all-star team. He was also joined by Kento Itohara (first time) and Yuta Iwasada (second time). Yoshio Itoi was voted in by the players. (Unfortunately, Itoi has been diagnosed with a broken bone in his lower leg, and could miss several months of action.)
Anyways, the Tigers faced the Chunichi Dragons on Tuesday, but perhaps someone forgot to tell them to come ready to play baseball.
Messenger gave up four runs in the first inning (lately he has given up early runs a LOT) and six more after that (one unearned).
His mates came through only in small ways, getting a single run in the bottom of the first (Naomasa Yohkawa RBI single), then another in the fourth (Itohara RBI double), a third in the sixth (error) and two in garbage time with the clock winding down.
Bright spots included Itohara, Yohkawa and Fumiya Hojoh collecting two hits apiece, and Atsushi Mochizuki striking out five in two innings of relief work.
Since the next two days will likely rain out, we’ll call it a “series recap” now, and hope to regroup on the weekend against the BayStars.
6 – 6 