Open Sen weekend.

These games against Orix (23rd and 24th February) were the usual Tigers performance against the Buffaloes in open sen - win one, lose one.
23rd February
Abe made his first appearance for Tigers and pitched one innings for no runs and no hits. Tigers won this one 5 to 3 getting to Buffaloes second pitcher Takagi. Imaoka and Arai both hit - Imaoka driving in two runs. Tigers pitching faded somewhat towards the end but was acceptable.
24th February
Tigers pitching let them down. Shoda, Uezono and then Nohmi gave away runs. Shoda started giving away three runs and then Uezono followed with another two in the fourth. Tigers scored 3 runs in the second (one of these a Sekimoto 2 run home run). Tigers tied the match in the eighth and Nohmi was summoned for the ninth. He started well enough then loaded the bases and gave away a walk off grand slam to the Buffaloes third base Tanaka. The Buffaloes won this 9 to 5.

I think that the stadiums are either going to have to ban the oen balloons or stock up with the specially designed ones that only go straight up then down (limited horizontal movement). Even with a large staff to clean up after the balloon release, and players from both sides helping with the cleanup, it took quite a while to get the balloons off the field on Sunday afternoon.

With two down and a runner on in the fourth, Uezono just couldn't get that final out. He gave up three singles to center in a row to convert a 4-3 lead to a 4-5 deficit. I thought Shiozaki was going to make it 4 in a row to center, but he got a little too much under it, lining the ball right to Ohshiro.

Former Tiger Hamanaka (Collins-kantoku: "who?") had one of those singles to center in the fourth, and walked his first two at bats - the second one walking in a run to tie the game at 3-3 in the second. He thanked the many Hanshin fans who gave him a cheer.