September 20th Shimoyanagi v Utsumi - Tigers destroyed

Utsumi wasn't that good - in fact in the first two innings he was positively poor but given the run support he got he didn't need to be good. Shimoyanagi was an embarassment and a disgrace. Two innings were all he lasted and he worked his way through the Giants lineup twice. To be honest Tigers were completely outplayed in every aspect of the game. I did say that the Giants would need to sweep the Tigers to win the pennant and this looks a distinct possiblity. There is now only one game between the sides and the Giants are hot. Tigers look jaded and slow and with Uehara due to pitch for the final game of the series it doesn't look promising. Line scores

       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Tigers 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  8 1
Giants 4 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 X 9 13 0

Starting line ups

1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Right)
3. Imaoka (Third)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Toritani (Short)
6. Sekimoto (Second)
7. Takahashi (First)
8. Yano (Catcher)
9. Shimoyanagi (First)

Giants
1. Tani (Centre)
2. Kimura (Second)
3. Ogasawara (Third)
4. Ramirez (Left)
5. Lee (First)
6. Takahashi (Right)
7. Abe (Catcher)
8. Sakamoto (Short)
9. Utsumi (Pitcher)

Utsumi's start was dreadful but we saw the right way to handle a bad start. Akahoshi hit and was bunted to second by Hirano. One has to ask why Tigers rely on the bunt to second so often - it really is a waste of an out. Anyway, Imaoka walked and then Utsumi dead balled Kanemoto - as I said a dreadful start, bases loaded with one out. Toritani though swung at the first pitch he received and flew out to first in foul ground - what a waste. Sekimoto then struck out and the innings was over without a score. Shimoyanagi was also dreadful but we saw the wrong way. Tani hit and was bunted to second by Kimura. Ogasawara walked and Giants had runners on first and second with one out. Shimoyanagi then gave up a three run home run to Ramirez - a very nice hit and a very poor pitch 3-0 Giants. Next up Lee and he banged a solo home run, another nice hit 4-0 Giants. Takahashi flew out but Abe hit. Then Sakamoto hammered out a two base and Giants had runners on second and third with two outs. Luckily the final batter was Utsumi who struck out to end the innings. Utsumi continued in his dreadful mode - he gave up a hit to Takahashi and then one to Yano. Shimoyanagi failed to bunt the runners but Akahoshi hit to load the bases. Hirano hit towards first base who dived and just got a glove on the ball deflecting it into the path of second who threw to first for the out but Takahashi was home 4-1 Giants. Imaoka though flew out to end the innings and Tigers had failed to exploit two bases loaded situations.

Surprisingly Shimoyanagi returned for the Giants second innings. Once again he was embarrassing. Tani led off with a two base this time and this should have been the occaision to replace him. Okada though persevered. Kimura grounded out moving Tani to third and it was Ogasawara's turn to hit a home run 6-1 Giants. Still Okada continued with Shimoyanagi as if he hadn't noticed anything. Ramirez hit and Lee grounded out moving him to second. Then Abe hit and Ramirez rounded the bases for home. The throw was good but Yano tagged the base not the player and Ramirez was safe 7-1 Giants. Finally, Okada saw the light and Shimoyanagi was replaced by Abe. He walked Sakamoto to get at Utsumi who duly struck out to end the innings. Tigers third was where Kanemoto needed to lead a rally but he did nothing and struck out looking. Toritani and Sekimoto rapidly followed and the Tigers did nothing. Abe returned for the second and faced Tani. He hit a very deep fly which drew a superb catch from Akahoshi right on the wall. Then Abe dead balled Kimura in the head - this was totally accidental and unintentional but Abe was ejected as a matter of course. He is a fine pitcher but still needs polish. Kimura was stretchered off (probably with concussion as the ball did hit his helmet) and his place taken by Wakiya. Watanabe took the mound and gave up a hit to Ogasawara - runners on first and second with one out. Ramirez grounded into a double play and that innings was over.

Tigers fourth was quiet as the batters fell in order. The result was already a foregone conclusion, Giants would win as the Tigers batting would give up. Watanabe returned for the Giants fourth and gave up a two base hit to Takahashi with one out. Next batter was Abe who hit a home run 9-1 Giants and once again a very nice hit. The next two batters were both out and the innings was over. Tigers fifth was quiet as Utsumi retired the side in order. Giants fifth was pitched by Fukuhara (who incidently replaced Imaoka - Baldris coming to third) and saw Kanemoto make an elementary error. He came in to take a fly ball and dropped it and Wakiya was safe on first. Nothing came of this though. Kanemoto then led off Tigers sixth with a hit. Toritani grounded out which extinguished Kanemoto but he was safe on first. Sekimoto flew out but then Takahashi hit a two base and Tigers had runners on second and third - an indication that Utsumi's pitching wasn't that wonderful. Yano's response was feeble and he flew out to right to end the innings. Fukuhara had no trouble in Giants sixth retiring the batters in order. Tigers seventh started with a Baldris hit. One out later Hirano hit and Tigers had runners on first and second. Lin (pinch hitter) struck out and then Kanemoto grounded out to end the innings. This really was the last chance for the Tigers and Kanemoto should have done more.

Tamaki pitched the Giants seventh and retired the batters in order. Utsumi returned for the Tigers eighth which was surprising as it was unnecessary. He walked Toritani with no outs but this was immediatley extinguished by a Sekimoto double play. Takahashi flew out and the innings was over. Tamaki returned for the Giants eighth and got Wakiya but then gave up a hit to Ogasawara. In a surprise move he was pinch run for by Terauchi - why? It was hardly necessary and Ogasawara wasn't injured. Anyway Terauchi stayed locked on first as Tamaki got the next two outs. Tigers ninth saw Nomaguchi take the mound. He retired the Tigers batters in order, striking out Akahoshi looking to end the match. Giants victory.

It is difficult to see what the Tigers can do. Their level of play is not high enough and they lack conviction or the spirit the Giants are showing. Why Okada kept Shimoyanagi in for the entire second innings is difficult to understand. He was quite clearly incapable of pitching properly after the first innings. The batting was abysmal in the extreme and none of the cleanup batters showed any likelihood of hitting. If Tigers want to win the pennant they have to do considerably better.

Tomorrow is a "two-game swing game", ie if Hanshin win, they stay 2 games ahead, if the lose, its all squared up.

If Kyojin win tomorrow I can really see them running away with the division. Huge game tomorrow for the Tigers, hope they can pull it off but it looks likes nothing can stop Yomiuri at the moment.

Calling all stat freaks, would this be the biggest blown lead in Central League history if Hanshin fail to win the pennant?

I remember Hiroshima losing a 10 or 11 game lead not that long ago with Kyojin passing them to win the title but if I remember correctly, Hanshin had a 14 or 15 game lead this year.

Hanshin had a 13 game lead in July which has gradually shrunk to its current state.

I consider this a must game tonight, as if the Giants pull into a tie I think that gives them all the momentum. The schedule is not kind to the Tigers, as we have a second kind of "shinu rodo" as because of make-up games I think our last 6 or 7 games are away from Koshien.