The return of Williams and yet another tie.

Tigers and Giants played their final game of the open sen which once again ended tied. All three games of their visit to the capital (15-17 March) have been tied. This one they came from behind to level the score. We also saw the return of JFK and the first appearance of Kroon in Giant's colours against the Tigers. Line scores

       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Tigers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 4 1
Giants 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 8 0

Starting lineups
1. Hirano (Centre)
2. Sekimoto (Second)
3. Ford (Right)
4. Arai (First)
5. Imaoka (Third)
6. Toritani (Short)
7. Yano (Catcher)
8. Sakurai (Left)
9. Fukuhara (Pitcher)

Giants
1. Yoshinobu Takahashi (Right)
2. Tani (Centre)
3. Ogasawara (Third)
4. Ramirez (Left)
5. Kamei (DH)
6. Ohmichi (First)
7. Sakamoto (Short)
8. Wakiya (Second)
9. Katoh (Catcher)
Starting pitcher was Utsumi

Once again pitchers dominated (like yesterday). Fukuhara started for the Tigers and was superb. This is what we really want to see from him - he has always had the ability but has never managed to display it consistently. He pitched 5 innings (64 pitches, 2 strike outs) mostly relying on ground outs and gave up only two individual hits. Unfortunately, for Tigers Utsumi was also on form. He went 7 even better innings (82 pitches, 2 hits, 1 sacrifice bunt and 6 strike outs). Neither pitcher gave up a walk.

The only point of note in the early stages was that Hirano hit in the top of the first and was bunted to second by Sekimoto. However, two strikeouts by Ford and Arai made sure that this was all that happened. Tigers went to Williams (making his first appearance this season) in the sixth and he dispatched all three batters he faced. Next up (seventh) was Kubota and unfortunately he ran into trouble. The leadoff batter, Tani smashed a home run 1-0 to the Giants. This rattled Kubota who then allowed two more hits in the innings to have runners on first and second with two outs. However, a second ground out finished the innings.

Tigers immediatley hit back in the eighth. Utsumi had left the mound after his stint and was replaced by Fukuda. He allowed Toritani a two base hit and then dead balled Yano. Kanemoto (pinch hitting) struck out swinging and Akahoshi (also pinch hitting) flew out leaving runners on first and second with two outs. At this stage Fukuda was replaced by Aida and Asai who was due to pinch hit was switched for Hiyama who promptly drove in the run to level the score 1-1.

This was it for scoring purposes. Fujikawa came in for the eighth allowing two hits and dead balling Murata (replacement catcher). This left him with 2 outs to get and bases loaded. However, he was up to the challenge striking out the next two batters. A slack start but nice finish. Kroon disposed of the Tigers batters he faced in the ninth and Watanabe did so in the ninth. Once again Tigers had been out hit but had made effective use of their hits. Most of the Giants hits actually came in the seventh (4 hits) and eighth (two hits) innings. Williams return was encouraging as was Fujikawa rising to the challenge of a bases loaded situation.

I was at the game today, sitting in the upper deck.

Utsumi was replaced by Fujita, not Fukuda. As in, the ex-Lotte YFK lefty. And he looked horrible, his control was way off. I feel really bad for Fujita -- he's really done. Although it was really great when Kanemoto came in, I was thinking, "3-run homer in 5... 4... 3... 2... HEY WAIT DID HE JUST STRIKE OUT?"

Hiyama driving in the tying run was pretty funny too.

But you forgot one of the best moments of the game -- the ending! With one out, Ohmichi singled to right, and then Sakamoto hit a long fly ball to right field. Katsuragi caught the ball in foul territory and NAILED a running Ohmichi at second base. Game over.

Many thanks for that correction - I don't know what happened there.