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@ Carp – September 22 – Three Bombs and a CG

This team simply can’t beat the Carp. But even more than that, they can’t seem to figure out the 2016 CL champ’s ace, Kris Johnson. In his two seasons in NPB, the Tigers have never hung him with a loss. The fate of both teams has already been decided but still, a win against the…

vs. Carp – September 14 – Just Another Loss

There’s no decorating this or making excuses of any sort. The Hanshin Tigers have been utterly dominated by the Hiroshima Carp this year. After a decent 4-4 start in the season series, the Tigers lost 9 straight and have since limped to a 6-17 record against the Central League champs heading into this one. Game…

vs. Swallows – August 26-28 – Swept in Return to Koshien

At long last, the Tigers could play on their home field. The high schoolers were long gone and the Kansai region was anxious to be able to cheer on their home team – especially in light of the 4-game winning streak and the ever-heating-up playoff race. Could the Tigers claw their way up into third,…

@ Giants – August 19-21 – Narrowly Escaping a Sweep

There’s no moving up in the standings too far if you can’t beat the teams at the top. After a humiliating two-game mini-series against the CL-leading Carp, the Tigers looked to redeem themselves against the second place Yomiuri Giants on the weekend. Redemption, minimal as it was, didn’t come until the last inning of play on…

vs. Dragons – August 12-14 – Cruising at Kyocera

For some reason, the Hanshin Tigers have played relatively well at Kyocera Dome Osaka in recent years. It is definitely not as electric an atmosphere as Koshien Stadium, but for this series, which coincided with the Japanese obon holiday season, the house was packed and home field advantage could be felt. Still, when facing a…