As I just finished saying on the podcast, when your team has to face good Masato Morishita (2020 Rookie of the Year), it’s not going to be an easy game. Take Koji Chikamoto (hamstring) and Yusuke Ohyama (back?) out of your lineup, and the task is a little taller. Thankfully, Takumi Akiyama and the bullpen…
There is something about watching Haruto Takahashi pitching that puts fans’ minds at ease. He did not disappoint on this night, either. Everyone expected he would get a shot at another Maddux (complete game shutout with fewer than 100 pitches) but for some reason, he was pulled through 8 innings with just 90 pitches on…
Must-win games do not mean the same as can’t-lose games. With this being the Tigers’ final chance to gain ground on the Swallows without leaning on another team, they needed this one. Joe Gunkel pitched 7 ⅔ masterful innings of shutout ball, and received solid backing from set-up man Suguru Iwazaki and closer Robert Suarez…
Looking at the starting lineup before the game started, and seeing that the opposing pitcher had a 1.99 ERA against our guys this season, well, let’s just say most fans were not inspired with confidence. But three batters into our attack, the blowout was on. Koyo Aoyagi threw seven effective innings (3 hits, 4 walks,…
After losing by the long ball last night, Tigers’ pitchers Masashi Itoh and Robert Suarez kept the Carp off the board and under complete control. Meanwhile, Teruaki Sato picked up his first extra-base hit in forever, scored the team’s first run, and Takumu Nakano provided solid defense and chipped in with a hit and a…
The night belonged to the Hiroshima Carp and their solo home run hitting batters. They got four, including a pair out of Seiya Suzuki (oh please won’t you just go to the majors already?). While Mel Rojas Jr hit a big fly in the bottom of the seventh to bring the Tigers to within one,…
The Yomiuri Giants are in a bit of a slump. That’s putting it nicely, as they have now fallen to .500 on the year, and while it is still mathematically unlikely, they could miss the playoffs still. Their losing streak is 8 (with two ties thrown in the middle) and their star leadoff guy saw…
Yuki Nishi really did not have his best stuff tonight. He did not have his health, either, it seems. After giving up two runs and recording only five outs, he left the game and was replaced by Kosuke Baba. Then Masashi Itoh. Then Raul Alcantara. All the relievers did a good job, allowing just one…
What a close game. The Tigers had a couple of great chances that went for naught, but put up a two-spot early and got solid pitching from starter Koyo Aoyagi (career-high 12 wins) and closer Robert Suarez (first in NPB to 40 saves this year). They also won the season series against the Yomiuri Giants…
Not much to say. Just look at the scorecard. Chances aplenty, runs were few. Relievers once again porous. And just for good measure, the same ump who screwed over Yoshio Itoi on a bad check-swing call on Friday did the opposite tonight: Murakami did not check his swing nearly as well as Itoi did, but…