Tigers get walk-off HBP to beat Lions
Bullpen problems plagued the Seibu Lions again in a 3-2 loss on Sunday at Koshien Stadium.
Randy Williams tried to clean up a ninth-inning mess created by Enrique Gonzalez (0-4), but ended the game when he hit pinch-hitter Kentaro Sekimoto with the bases loaded for a Hanshin walk-off win.
Gonzalez gave up a leadoff single and a wild pitch. He then walked two -- intentionally with one out -- and skipper Hisanobu Watanabe made the switch to new closer Williams.
The lefty plunked Sekimoto with the second pitch [a wayward fastball] and the Lions, who led 2-0 early, fell to 4-5 in interleague play. Hanshin snapped a five-game home skid.
Craig Brazell had three hits, including his sixth homer in the seventh inning that got the Tigers even. Atsushi Nomi (4-4) went the distance, scattering six hits and fanning 12, to get the win.
GIANTS 2, FIGHTERS 1
Masumi Hoshino (1-0), the second of three bullpen longmen, went three perfect innings, and Hayato Sakamoto broke a 1-1 tie with a sixth-inning RBI double as Yomiuri topped visiting Nippon Ham.
Yuki Koyama started and allowed a run in three innings, and Hoshino -- who started on the developmental squad -- and three relievers kept the Fighters off the scoreboard.
DRAGONS 6, HAWKS 4
Takehiro Donoue’s first homer of the season [a birthday shot] broke a 4-4 tie and helped second-year righty Yuta Muto (1-0) earn his first pro win as Chunichi topped visiting SoftBank.
Kazuhiro Wada had three doubles and drove in three for the Dragons, who got five shutout innings from their bullpen to win their third straight decision.
BUFFALOES 9, BAYSTARS 2
Lee Dae Ho socked a two-run homer and Aarom Baldiris had two hits and two RBIs as Orix pulled away late to down host Yokohama.
The BayStars have dropped 14 straight to Orix in interleague play.
EAGLES 4, SWALLOWS 1
Rookie Yoshinao Kamata (1-0) went six-plus innings, and a four-run fourth, highlighted by Masato Nakamura’s two-run double off the wall in right, carried Rakuten to a win over slumping Yakult at Jingu Stadium.
The Swallows have dropped eight straight.
CARP 4, MARINES 4
Yoshifumi Okada’s RBI infield single capped a four-run rally as Lotte came back to earn a time-limit draw with Hiroshima at The Zoom.
*Interleague count
PL 28, CL 21, 4 TIES
[Edited by: jgibson on May 27, 2012 11:51 PM]
Bullpen problems plagued the Seibu Lions again in a 3-2 loss on Sunday at Koshien Stadium.
Randy Williams tried to clean up a ninth-inning mess created by Enrique Gonzalez (0-4), but ended the game when he hit pinch-hitter Kentaro Sekimoto with the bases loaded for a Hanshin walk-off win.
Gonzalez gave up a leadoff single and a wild pitch. He then walked two -- intentionally with one out -- and skipper Hisanobu Watanabe made the switch to new closer Williams.
The lefty plunked Sekimoto with the second pitch [a wayward fastball] and the Lions, who led 2-0 early, fell to 4-5 in interleague play. Hanshin snapped a five-game home skid.
Craig Brazell had three hits, including his sixth homer in the seventh inning that got the Tigers even. Atsushi Nomi (4-4) went the distance, scattering six hits and fanning 12, to get the win.
GIANTS 2, FIGHTERS 1
Masumi Hoshino (1-0), the second of three bullpen longmen, went three perfect innings, and Hayato Sakamoto broke a 1-1 tie with a sixth-inning RBI double as Yomiuri topped visiting Nippon Ham.
Yuki Koyama started and allowed a run in three innings, and Hoshino -- who started on the developmental squad -- and three relievers kept the Fighters off the scoreboard.
DRAGONS 6, HAWKS 4
Takehiro Donoue’s first homer of the season [a birthday shot] broke a 4-4 tie and helped second-year righty Yuta Muto (1-0) earn his first pro win as Chunichi topped visiting SoftBank.
Kazuhiro Wada had three doubles and drove in three for the Dragons, who got five shutout innings from their bullpen to win their third straight decision.
BUFFALOES 9, BAYSTARS 2
Lee Dae Ho socked a two-run homer and Aarom Baldiris had two hits and two RBIs as Orix pulled away late to down host Yokohama.
The BayStars have dropped 14 straight to Orix in interleague play.
EAGLES 4, SWALLOWS 1
Rookie Yoshinao Kamata (1-0) went six-plus innings, and a four-run fourth, highlighted by Masato Nakamura’s two-run double off the wall in right, carried Rakuten to a win over slumping Yakult at Jingu Stadium.
The Swallows have dropped eight straight.
CARP 4, MARINES 4
Yoshifumi Okada’s RBI infield single capped a four-run rally as Lotte came back to earn a time-limit draw with Hiroshima at The Zoom.
*Interleague count
PL 28, CL 21, 4 TIES
[Edited by: jgibson on May 27, 2012 11:51 PM]