I have to admit, it’s a special atmosphere at these games against the Yomiuri Giants. But in the seven that I have seen at Koshien, the home team has won just one (against five losses and a tie). And this one twice looked like it would end in a loss or tie. But it didn’t.
Starting Pitchers: Taiki Ono (3-2, 3.56 ERA) vs. Kazuto Taguchi (2-3, 5.23 ERA)
1
First pitch got hit for a double. Second pitch advanced the runner to third. A walk and a strikeout later, Tiger-killer Kamei hit an RBI single to right. That sure didn’t take long!
Hanshin 0, Yomiuri 1
2
Ono gave up a one-out home run to their rookie catcher. A no-doubter to right. Then a hit to their pitcher. Then another double to Sakamoto. With two runners in scoring position, this one could have broken wide open. But Ono buckled down and kept the damage to a minimum.
Hanshin 0, Yomiuri 2
2
And his mates rewarded him. Yusuke Ohyama singled to right, and Taiga Egoshi doubled down the left field line. A bobble by Guerrero in the outfield allowed one run to score, and Egoshi to advance to third. He scored on Ryutaro Umeno‘s ensuing single.
Hanshin 2, Yomiuri 2
3
Kento Itohara and Yoshio Itoi led off with singles, and Ohyama brought one of them home with a single of his own a couple of outs later.
Hanshin 3, Yomiuri 2
4
Ono helped his own cause by singling to left, and he eventually scored as Kai Ueda moved him over a base on a hit, then Itohara got beaned to load the bases, and Itoi hit a sacrifice fly to center.
Hanshin 4, Yomiuri 2
8
Ono cruised the rest of his outing, which ended with 7 IP, 112 TP, 8 H, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 R. Suguru Iwazaki replaced him, gave up a hit and then struck out two before sitting down. Kentaro Kuwahara came in to face Chono, a righty, and gave up a two-run, game-tying, soul-crushing home run.
Hanshin 4, Yomiuri 4
9
Rafael Dolis walked the first batter he faced but then ruined the Giants’ fun by thwarting their bunt attempt (throwing out the runner at second), striking out Sakamoto, and then picking off the runner at first. In the bottom half of the inning, Itohara and Itoi earned walks against fat-necked Sawamura, and then Masahiro Nakatani singled to left, ending the game in style.
最後は中谷が決めた！！！サヨナラだ！！！ #hanshin #虎テレ pic.twitter.com/YCESvPzixo
— 阪神タイガース (@TigersDreamlink) May 26, 2018