The Tigers ended interleague on a downer, having lost four straight series to Pacific League opponents. Meanwhile, the Baystars caught fire during that stretch. The six-game lead once held by the Tigers was down to 2.5… and then they proceeded to completely give it away, as the Baystars swept them in Yokohama back in June. This is why this series was of capital importance. They needed to not only ensure that they did not give up first place again, but also to prove that they could beat the blue. And so, the opener of this series was an encouragement to all, especially the faithful in Kurashiki (Okayama Prefecture) who welcomed the Tigers to their ballpark for the first time in four years. The second game was even more of a muscle flexer, as they snatched victory from Bauer and the Baystars bullpen. This is perhaps why the third game was so disappointing. The Tigers did not fail to reach base – in fact, in five innings, they had runners in scoring position (four of which were with 0 outs). The bagels that graced the scoreboard were tough to swallow. Nevertheless, life goes on, and the lead is up to 2 games. We’ll take it!
