On Sunday night in Hiroshima, the scoreboard looked like it needed correction: Where’s Takashi Toritani‘s name? This is the man who has played every inning of all of the past 667 games (4th longest such streak in NPB history) dating back to the first game of the 2012 season. Sure, he has hit in every slot…
Nothing has gone the Tigers’ way since the start of interleague play. They sure aren’t helping themselves, either. Heading on the road against the top team in the Central League was not going to help things, either. Even with the “ace” opening the series and the true ace closing it. Game 91 – Friday 7/22:…
The first two-game winning streak in six weeks was a positive way to enter the all-star break, but could the team propel themselves to have a proper winning streak, though? The team’s best through 87 games was just three, achieved only once. The team would host the second place Giants to start the final portion…
It would be hard to blame Hanshin fans for taking the entire week off after last weekend’s drubbing at Koshien, during which the team scored just 3 runs (and just one run batted in) versus 24 against. But this matchup, unlike the last one, was against a comparable opponent. Formidable at the plate, mind you,…
As the team record spirals further downward, one of the few things the Tigers have left to hang their hat on is a winning record at Tokyo Dome this season. Heading into this series, the boys were 4-2 on the year, and looked to extend their dominance in a stadium that gave them all sorts…
How can a team forget a humiliating (and frustrating) sweep at the hand of the league leaders over the weekend? Beat up on an opponent that has been kind to them so far this year! That’s right, the Tigers found a lot of strange ways to lose to the Carp in Hiroshima to open the…
No CL team has been hotter since mid-May than the Hiroshima Carp. In fact, they broke free from the pack nicely during interleague play, while the Tigers sputtered and found themselves four games underwater. Still, the season is only half over, and manager Kanemoto says he’s in no way aiming for anything lower than a first…
The Tigers combined to win two of nine (one vs. Lions, none @ Marines and one @ Fighters) against quality Pacific League opponents. Their two wins against the then-last place Eagles was barely acceptable, and the same result against the now-last place Buffaloes would also be the bare minimum, though a sweep would definitely be preferred,…
A rainout in the Buffaloes series meant that the Tigers would not end the interleague schedule playing the hardest team in baseball. Many expected this team of loaded bats and arms to plow over the Tigers, who have struggled mightily against the Pacific League. However, this rematch of the 2014 Nippon Series would play out…
The good news is that the Tigers have finished playing in Pacific League parks for another year. The bad news is that they had their worst week of the season and looked terrible in doing so. This series was no different. Other than being able to squeeze out a victory in the middle game. Read…