Messenger shut down Giants on day Tigers get new GM
The Hanshin Tigers’ stripes have been crossed for a long time, but they hope to changed that by hiring the franchise's first general manager.
Whether by chance or by impact, the Tigers got it all straightened out on Wednesday, blanking the Central League front-running Yomiuri Giants 6-0 at Koshien Stadium.
Katsuhiro Nakamura took over as GM, and Randy Messenger (7-10) took over on the mound, firing a four-hitter for his second shutout with the team. He even added an RBI single along the way.
The Tigers have had more than their share of struggles this season -- injuries and underperformance, to name a couple -- and are wallowing in fifth place, battling to avoid replacing the Yokohama BayStars at the bottom of the CL.
Keiichi Hirano had two hits, including an RBI single in a four-run third, Takashi Toritani and Akihito Fujii also had two hits and RBI hits to help knock off the Giants.
SWALLOWS 3, BAYSTARS 1
Orlando Roman (8-9) scattered five hits and four walks over seven innings, and Wladimir Balentien, Shinya Miyamoto and Lastings Milledge all drove in runs in a win over host Yokohama.
CARP 2, DRAGONS 1
Shota Dobayashi’s two-run double in the fourth was all Kan Otake (11-3) needed as Hiroshima edged Chunichi for its first win this season at Nagoya Dome.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
LIONS 2, HAWKS 1
Shogo Akiyama belted his first-pro walk-off homer [although not in time to help Yusei Kikuchi earn the win] as Seibu edged SoftBank in the ninth at Seibu Dome.
It was first-place Seibu’s first walk-off win this season.
BUFFALOES 2, MARINES 0
Third-year lefty Yuji Maeda (1-0) shut down visiting Lotte [which has allowed the first run in five consecutive games] went 5.1 scoreless, and four relievers combined to keep the Marines to one hit the rest of the way as Orix won at Hotto Motto Stadium.
The loss put the Marines under .500 for the first time this season.
EAGLES 10, FIGHTERS 5
An error helped Rakuten get even in the eighth inning, and Ryo Hijirisawa put the Eagles the lead over Nippon Ham, playing part of its home schedule at Tokyo Dome.
Messenger shut down Giants on day Tigers get new GM
The Hanshin Tigers’ stripes have been crossed for a long time, but they hope to changed that by hiring the franchise's first general manager.
Whether by chance or by impact, the Tigers got it all straightened out on Wednesday, blanking the Central League front-running Yomiuri Giants 6-0 at Koshien Stadium.
Katsuhiro Nakamura took over as GM, and Randy Messenger (7-10) took over on the mound, firing a four-hitter for his second shutout with the team. He even added an RBI single along the way.
The Tigers have had more than their share of struggles this season -- injuries and underperformance, to name a couple -- and are wallowing in fifth place, battling to avoid replacing the Yokohama BayStars at the bottom of the CL.
Keiichi Hirano had two hits, including an RBI single in a four-run third, Takashi Toritani and Akihito Fujii also had two hits and RBI hits to help knock off the Giants.
SWALLOWS 3, BAYSTARS 1
Orlando Roman (8-9) scattered five hits and four walks over seven innings, and Wladimir Balentien, Shinya Miyamoto and Lastings Milledge all drove in runs in a win over host Yokohama.
CARP 2, DRAGONS 1
Shota Dobayashi’s two-run double in the fourth was all Kan Otake (11-3) needed as Hiroshima edged Chunichi for its first win this season at Nagoya Dome.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
LIONS 2, HAWKS 1
Shogo Akiyama belted his first-pro walk-off homer [although not in time to help Yusei Kikuchi earn the win] as Seibu edged SoftBank in the ninth at Seibu Dome.
It was first-place Seibu’s first walk-off win this season.
BUFFALOES 2, MARINES 0
Third-year lefty Yuji Maeda (1-0) shut down visiting Lotte [which has allowed the first run in five consecutive games] went 5.1 scoreless, and four relievers combined to keep the Marines to one hit the rest of the way as Orix won at Hotto Motto Stadium.
The loss put the Marines under .500 for the first time this season.
EAGLES 10, FIGHTERS 5
An error helped Rakuten get even in the eighth inning, and Ryo Hijirisawa put the Eagles the lead over Nippon Ham, playing part of its home schedule at Tokyo Dome.