It’s got to be a little bit intimidating to make your professional debut against the winningest, oldest, most popular team in baseball. Especially in their barn. And especially when they happen to be the hottest hitting team in the Central. Our pitchers did a valiant job of keeping the damage to a minimum. But if our rookie pitcher could take one pitch back, and throw it all over again, I’m sure he’d do it in a heartbeat.
Starting Pitchers: Masaki Tanigawa (0-0) vs. Tetsuya Utsumi (0-0)
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Tanigawa cruised through the order the first time. But the wheels fell off the second time through. A couple of singles to left were followed by a foul fly to right that almost saw one of the runners being doubled up. And then… the big blob also known as Abe did what he always seems to do against our team. KABLAMO. Debut ruined in one pitch.
Hanshin 0, Yomiuri 3
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At long last, a bit of momentum. Taiga Egoshi, who hit leadoff in this game, showed off his brand new wheels…
🐯ヨッシャ〜❗
江越が今季初ヒットの２塁打👏🏻😆#阪神タイガース #江越大賀 pic.twitter.com/sC4zem4lsg
— ⚾埼とら⚾今季も怪我無く！ (@yakyuragu) May 10, 2018
… and a few batters later with two runners in scoring position, Kosuke Fukudome drove them home on his vintage bat.
Hanshin 2, Yomiuri 3
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Suguru Iwazaki came in as the third reliever of the game, and gave up a hit, a walk, a runner-advancing grounder, and then he threw one in the dirt that got past his catcher. Insurance run scores. That’s the ball game. Tigers are now 2-7 against the Giants, 14-8 against everyone else.