October 5th Ishikawa v Ryo Kawashima - Fun in the rain

This was another game played in appalling conditions - it rained throughout the match. Ishikawa once again demonstrated his potential and ability. Giants won so the match was vital. In fact both team's matches are vital - both need to keep on winning to take the pennant. Line scores

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

Starting lineups

1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Sekimoto (Second)
3. Arai (First)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Imaoka (Third)
6. Toritani (Short)
7. Lin (Right)
8. Yano (Catcher
9. Ishikawa (Pitcher)

Swallows
1. Aoki (Centre)
2. Keizoh Kawashima (Short)
3. Iihara (Left)
4. Hatakeyama (First)
5. Fukuchi (Right)
6. Tanaka (Second)
7. Kajimoto (Third)
8. Kawamoto (Catcher)
9. Ryo Kawashima (Pitcher)

The first innings would be quiet and nothing would happen. In fact the first hit was a lead off two base by Kanemoto in the second. He advanced to third on an Imaoka ground out but Toritani and Yano failed to drive him home. Toritani does not seem to be able to manage sacrifice flies. Ishikawa got himself into trouble in the Swallows second walking Hatakeyama and then Fukuchi. They were bunted to second and third by Tanaka but neither Kajimoto or Kawamoto were able to convert the runners and the innings was scoreless. The third was quiet as both pitchers retired the batters in order but for Ryo Kawashima it all unravelled in the Tigers fourth. Sekimoto hit and with Arai out Kanemoto hit his second two base of the night - runners on second and third. Imaoka walked to load the bases and then Toritani unleashed a two base hit driving in two runs 2-0 Tigers runners on second and third. Next Lin walked to load the bases again. Yano hit to Kajimoto whose throw to the home plate was wild allowing two more runners home 4-0 Tigers runners on second and third. Ishikawa struck out but Akahoshi hit 5-0 Tigers runners on first and third. Finally Sekimoto flew out and the innings was over. Ishikawa responded to this run bonanza by retiring the Swallows in order. Tigers fifth was likewise quiet Ryo Kawashima staying on the mound. Ishikawa walked Kajimoto in Swallows fifth but the next batter Kawamoto hit into a double play to end the innings.

Tigers continued in quiet mode for their sixth and Ishikawa returned for his sixth and last innings in the bottom. Here he found things a bit more difficult. With two outs he gave up a hit to Keizoh Kawashima. This was his first hit of the game. Iihara followed with a two base hit putting runners on second and third. Still Ishikawa only needed to get Hatakeyama to finish without giving up a run. It was not to be, despite what Wayne Graczyk (Japan Times) thinks Hatakeyama is an effective batter and once again proved so hitting a two base to left. This drove in two runs 5-2 Tigers. Fukuchi though grounded out and the innings was over. Tigers seventh saw a new pitcher, Yoshikawa. He just escaped. With one out Akahoshi hit and stole second. Sekimoto walked and then Akahoshi advanced to third on an Arai ground out (Arai seems to have gone a bit off the boil in the last two games). Kanemoto flew out and the Swallows were safe. Atchison pitched the Swallows seventh and as he did in the last bad weather game (Carp 29th September) found the conditions difficult. He, in particular, doesn't seem to like pitching in cold and wet conditions and who can blame him. He started well enough and got the first two outs but then Kawamoto hit. Kawabata (replacement third) followed and then Aoki walked - bases loaded. Atchison then dead balled Keizoh Kawashima for a walk in run 5-3 Tigers and the Swallows were getting close. Iihara though grounded out and the innings was over.

Kida followed Yoshikawa and started by dead balling Imaoka. Pitching wasn't easy in these conditions. Two outs later he walked Hiyama (pinch hitter) but got the final out to end the innings. For Swallows eighth Okada turned to Fujikawa which meant that he would pitch two innings. Fujikawa was efficient and in control retiring the Swallows batters in order. The honour of pitching Tigers ninth went to Lim. He tripped up in his last outing against the Tigers and once again would do so but given the conditions one cannot really blame him. Akahoshi walked and then stole second. He advanced to third on a wild throw but Sekimoto grounded out to short. Arai struck out looking - a very nice pitch indeed and Kanemoto was deliberately walked to get to Baldris - runners on first and third. Baldris is a lightweight but here got just the pitch he needed and hit a three run home run to left 8-3 Tigers. Toritani struck out and the innings was over. The home run really put the match beyond doubt and Fujikawa had a striaghtforward job retiring the Swallows batters. Tigers victory.

This was a better performance in worse conditions. Tigers batters had done well and had backed Ishikawa's fine pitching with runs. Fujikawa picked up his 37th save and Ishikawa a well earned hero interview.

Despite the obvious troubles with the bullpen, Okada has been using Fujikawa way too much. True, they did blow a 5-run lead already this week, but putting in Fujikawa for 2 innings of work with a 5 run lead is too much.

I agree - we don't want him to end up like Kubota.