Some aspects of Game 2 were quite similar to Game 1. An early deficit. Clawing back from the jaws of defeat. Unfortunately, lightning does not strike the same place twice – at least not on back-to-back days.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hanshin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
 DeNA | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2x | 6 | 11 | 1 |
Bottom 1 – Near Repeat of Yesterday
The Tigers did their thing in the top half, getting guys on base, bunting them over and coming up with nothing. In the bottom half, Koyo Aoyagi gave up a leadoff infield single, got two outs and then served Jose Lopez a nice pitch to drill deep into the left-field stands.
Yokohama 2, Hanshin 0
Bottom 3 – Tsutsugone…
Aoyagi didn’t look great in the second, and in the third, he gave up a leadoff bomb to Tsutsugoh. Much like yesterday, this was not a no-doubter, nor was it a particularly bad pitch, but it reached the left-field stands and was good enough. Fortunately, that was all the damage the ‘Stars got off the Blue Goat.
Yokohama 3, Hanshin 0
Top 5 – ‘Jo Sparks Rally AGAIN
With Aoyagi due up to hit, Hiroki Uemoto came in as pinch hitter, stroked one into shallow center, and then scored on Fumiya Hojoh‘s double down the left-field line. A bad throw by Yamato ensured the run scored, plus advanced Hojoh to third. Kosuke Fukudome got his first hit of the series, scoring us a second run.
Yokohama 3, Hanshin 2
Top 6 – Deficit Completely Erased!
Kento Itohara reached on an infield single, moved to second on a (yawn) bunt, to third on a wild pitch, and then Uemoto brought him home to even the score.
Yokohama 3, Hanshin 3
Bottom 6 – DeNA Manufactures a Run???
The other side relies heavily on the long ball, as evidenced from yesterday’s game and also the first few innings of this one. So when they finally patch one together, it’s quite devastating. Yamato walked, then advanced to second on a ground out. A single to left sent him home, and if the throw had been on target, the game might have still been tied. Alas…
Yokohama 4, Hanshin 3
Top 9 – Old Man’s Crutch Clutch
Down to the potential final out of the game, Fukudome took a Yasuaki Yamasaki offering and walloped it into the right-field stands. Incredible production with the game on the line.
Yokohama 4, Hanshin 4
Bottom 9 – Crushing Blow Means We Get Baseball Tomorrow
Yamasaki pitched two innings for the ‘Stars. Suguru Iwazaki looked to do the same for us. He didn’t get there, though, because after striking out Lopez to open this frame, he allowed a hit to Miyazaki, then grooved a 1-0 pitch across the heart of the plate. Tomo Otosaka made no mistake, crushing it into the right-field frenzy.
Final Score: Yokohama 6x, Hanshin 4
See you tomorrow for a do-or-die game. Starts at 6:00 pm here in Japan.