The Hiroshima Carp entered this series on a 10-game winning streak. Because of this, the Tigers found themselves on the outside looking in for just the second time since May. And just like last time, the team that took over first only stayed there for one game. Starting pitching held the Carp to a minimum…
There’s nothing more satisfying than beating down the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien Stadium. Tuesday was a memorial game for the late Shintaro Yokota, and the team came through with a big win, thanks to clutch hitting from Yusuke Ohyama and Teruaki Sato. Wednesday saw the team storm back from a 5-3 deficit in a thriller….
Coming off the all-star break, which was not much of a break for our main players (who pretty much all got voted to the team), the team needed to build some momentum. After all, a six-game home stand next week marks the end of Tigers baseball at Koshien Stadium for nearly a whole month, as…
Playing the Dragons at home was supposed to be a chance to build some momentum heading into the all-star break. However, a late-inning collapse (what else is new – three straight games attended by yours truly have all turned out the same) cost us the first game, a complete lack of hitting was the culprit…
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….
A mysterious decision to call Friday’s game because of rain that never came meant this series was just a two-gamer. The first one was a tight game, and the Tigers kind of blew a big chance in the bottom of the sixth inning. Having already tied the game on a Yusuke Ohyama RBI double, there…
Trips to Hiroshima have been hard for this team in the past decade, and this trip was no exception. One of our players made the trip but then left without even setting foot on the field. (No, not Yangervis Solarte – that was 4 years ago already!) Koji Chikamoto took a fastball to the ribs…
The Tigers have not won back-to-back games since the start of June, believe it or not. But after last weekend’s sweep in Yokohama, even small things like series ties have to be viewed as victories. Friday night’s game featured Junya Nishi making a return to the rotation and doing quite well, only to see the…
To say the Tigers were in a slump was an understatement. Ever since that Monday make-up game against the Chiba Lotte Marines on June 5, the team found itself unable to put together a three-game series win: they dropped 2 of 3 to the Eagles, Fighters, Buffaloes and Hawks, before getting swept by the Baystars…
It was a nice run of 7 weeks being in the top spot… coming off two straight losses against the Hawks to end interleague, the team needed to show itself strong in Yokohama, where it had lost 10 straight regular season games. Better make it 13. The bats could not figure out the Baystars aces…