Pro Yakyu Game of the Week: 6/13
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Re: Pro Yakyu Game of the Week: 6/13
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Jun 13, 2004 12:48 PM
| YBS Fan
]
Yes there is! The only night game again this week is the Giants hosting the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Tokyo Dome (so we won't be rained out).
I meant to post in the morning, but after rushing to softball practice (which was cancelled due to field conditions), I forgot. Sorry about that.
My game at Yokohama Stadium last week was cancelled, so I thought about doing the evening game. But it was rained out as well. Five of the six games were rained out last Sunday, unusual considering how many domed stadia there now are.
Anyway, see you around 6:00 JST here.
I meant to post in the morning, but after rushing to softball practice (which was cancelled due to field conditions), I forgot. Sorry about that.
My game at Yokohama Stadium last week was cancelled, so I thought about doing the evening game. But it was rained out as well. Five of the six games were rained out last Sunday, unusual considering how many domed stadia there now are.
Anyway, see you around 6:00 JST here.
Re: Pro Yakyu Game of the Week: 6/13
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Jun 13, 2004 10:00 PM
| YBS Fan
]
One wild ride this evening as the two teams battled hard in a see-saw game.
TRANSCRIPT generated on: 2004/06/13 21:54
CHATROOM: Pro Yakyu Game of the Week/Hiroshima Toyo Carp vs. Yomiuri Giants
MODERATORS: westbaystars
17:36: westbaystars: Welcome to the first Game of the Week for June.
17:36: westbaystars: Sorry we missed last week. After the Yokohama game was rained out, so was the evening game.
17:37: westbaystars: We don't have rain in the Kanto Area this evening, however.
17:38: westbaystars: Besides, the Giants are hosting the Carp at Tokyo Dome.
17:38: westbaystars: ***
17:38: westbaystars: I've got to get a bite to eat before game time.
17:38: westbaystars: Will be back soon.
17:38: westbaystars: ***
17:59: westbaystars: ---
17:59: westbaystars: Top of First
17:59: westbaystars: ---
18:00: westbaystars: Kubo takes the mound for the Giants, and Ogata takes ball one high.
18:00: westbaystars: The game is now underway.
18:00: westbaystars: The second offering from Kubo is lined up the middle, base hit!
18:00: westbaystars: The lead-off Carp is on base.
18:00: westbaystars: Shima bats second.
18:03: westbaystars: And he goes down swinging at a low-inside pitch for strike three.
18:03: westbaystars: One down, runner at first.
18:03: westbaystars: LaRocca bats third.
18:04: westbaystars: He swings and lifts the ball deep!
18:04: westbaystars: No doubt about it, that ball is deep in the seats of the Carp oen-dan!
18:04: westbaystars: The Carp take a quick 2-0 lead.
18:05: westbaystars: Sheets follows with a long fly ball to center on the first pitch.
18:05: westbaystars: Rhodes runs back straight toward the center field fense.
18:06: westbaystars: He reaches up on the run, but the ball clears his glove!
18:06: westbaystars: Playing the ball off the wall, Rhodes returns the ball to the infield,
18:06: westbaystars: where Sheets is in to second base standing up.
18:06: westbaystars: That'll bring up Maeda.
18:07: westbaystars: He lines the ball just left of the second base bag.
18:07: westbaystars: Nioka fields the ball and, in the same motion, runs to the second base bag.
18:07: westbaystars: But Sheets dives head first back into the bag just before Nioka, safe.
18:08: westbaystars: That gives up two outs, runner at second.
18:09: westbaystars: Kurihara comes up next.
18:09: westbaystars: Five of Kurihara's eight home runs so far this season have been against the Giants.
18:10: westbaystars: And he's batting .476 at Tokyo Dome this season.
18:10: westbaystars: He swings at a low pitch, two bounding it to Nioka at short.
18:10: westbaystars: Nioka fields the ball and throws Kurihara out for the final out of the inning.
18:11: westbaystars: But not before Hiroshima took a quick 2-0 lead on LaRocca's two run home run.
18:11: westbaystars: ---
18:11: westbaystars: Bottom of First
18:11: westbaystars: ---
18:12: westbaystars: Dominican rookie Feliciano (sp?) gets his first start this season for the Carp.
18:12: westbaystars: His first offering to Nishi is called strike one on the outside corner.
18:13: westbaystars: Feliciano came up through the Dominican Carp Academy recently, after the Player Meikan was published.
18:14: westbaystars: Nishi drills the ball through the left side, Sheets just missing the ball in deep short.
18:14: westbaystars: Shimizu comes up next.
18:15: westbaystars: G+ (the Giants' channel) reports that Feliciano was signed in April to come to Japan from the Academy.
18:16: westbaystars: Shimizu lifts the ball high and deep to right.
18:16: westbaystars: Shima goes back to the wall.
18:17: westbaystars: Shima looks up, and the ball goes into the right field stands.
18:17: westbaystars: Haittaaaaaa.
18:17: westbaystars: The two run home run evens the score at 2-2.
18:18: westbaystars: That'll bring up Rhodes.
18:19: westbaystars: And he does down singing at a change-up.
18:19: westbaystars: One down.
18:19: westbaystars: Takahashi Yoshinobu bats fourth.
18:19: westbaystars: He lifts the ball deep to right!
18:19: westbaystars: But foul.
18:20: westbaystars: No doubt about the distance on that one.
18:20: westbaystars: The 1-1 pitch is lifted to center, but not deep.
18:20: westbaystars: Ogana runs over and takes the ball in for out number two.
18:20: westbaystars: That'll bring up Kokubo.
18:22: westbaystars: Feliciano is 2 and 2 with a 4.42 ERA in 8 appearances in the Western League (farm).
18:22: westbaystars: G+ has done a good job in gathering information of Feliciano for their broadcase.
18:23: westbaystars: With a full count, Kokubo checks his swing and takes ball four low.
18:23: westbaystars: Two out baserunner on board.
18:23: westbaystars: And that brings up Petagine, back in the line-up after Kiyohara surpassed 2,000 hits.
18:24: westbaystars: He grounds the fist pitch weakly to first.
18:24: westbaystars: Kurihara fields the ball and goes to the bag himself, just in front of Feliciano.
18:24: westbaystars: That retires the side.
18:24: westbaystars: But not before the Giants tied the game with Shimizu's two run home run to answer LaRocca.
18:25: westbaystars: At the end of one complete, the game is tied 2-2.
18:25: westbaystars: ---
18:25: westbaystars: Top of Second
18:25: westbaystars: ---
18:26: westbaystars: We start off the second with number seven batter Nomura.
18:26: westbaystars: He grounds out to Nishi at second for the first out.
18:27: westbaystars: That'll bring up Ishihara.
18:28: westbaystars: Kubo has lost all four starts against Hiroshima this year so far.
18:29: westbaystars: Ishihara lines the ball into the right-center gap (uchukan).
18:29: westbaystars: By the time the ball is played off the wall and returned, Ishihara is standing on second base.
18:30: westbaystars: That'll bring up Feliciano for his first NPB (ichi-gun) at bat.
18:30: westbaystars: And he swings big at an outside pitch.
18:30: westbaystars: He's up there close to the base, looking to hit the ball.
18:31: westbaystars: After taking a ball, he grounds the ball just foul up the first base line.
18:31: westbaystars: The next pitch is taken outside and low. The count runs to 2-2.
18:31: westbaystars: Now Feliciano takes ball three outside, full count.
18:32: westbaystars: Kubo's pitch is down the middle, and fouled back. Feliciano is fighting well.
18:33: westbaystars: The seventh pitch to the opposing pitcher is fouled off the plate and into Abe's chest protector.
18:33: westbaystars: The next pitch is grounded to Nioka at short.
18:33: westbaystars: Nioka looks Ishihara back to the second base bag, then throws to first for the out.
18:33: westbaystars: Feliciano looked good up there. Better than most pitchers.
18:34: westbaystars: That brings us to the top of the order in Ogata.
18:36: westbaystars: Ogata lines the ball over Kokubo's head at third and into left.
18:37: westbaystars: Ishihara kicks third as Shimizu plays the ball and heads toward the plate.
18:37: westbaystars: The ball is cut off by Kokubo, and there's no throw home.
18:37: westbaystars: Ishihara scores!
18:37: westbaystars: Hiroshima takes a 3-2 lead.
18:37: westbaystars: Ogata holds to first base on the cut play.
18:37: westbaystars: Runner now at first, two outs.
18:38: westbaystars: Shima at the plate.
18:38: westbaystars: Shima currently leads the Central League in batting average at .356.
18:39: westbaystars: Kubo battles the count full against Shima.
18:40: westbaystars: He hits the ball deep to right! No doubt about this one!
18:40: westbaystars: It is in the right field stands!
18:40: westbaystars: Two run home run!
18:41: westbaystars: That puts the Carp up 5-2.
18:41: westbaystars: LaRocca, who hit a two run shot in the first inning, comes up next.
18:41: MHStevie: Haitta! (a little late)
18:42: westbaystars: LaRocca grounds the out-course pitch to second. Nishi throws him out at first, and the side is retired.
18:43: westbaystars: But not before Hiroshima scored three more runs on a single by Ogata and a two run home run by Shima.
18:43: westbaystars: ---
18:43: westbaystars: Bottom of Second
18:43: westbaystars: ---
18:44: westbaystars: Abe leads off the second for the Giants.
18:44: westbaystars: Feliciano had his crossed up on the second pitch, Abe swinging hard to bring the count even at 1-1.
18:45: westbaystars: Three pitches later, Abe lifts the ball high to left-center, but not very deep.
18:45: westbaystars: Maeda comes over and brings the ball in for the first out.
18:46: westbaystars: That'll bring Nioka to the plate.
18:46: westbaystars: Nioka is 9 for 18 (.500) against Hiroshima this season.
18:47: westbaystars: And he watches strike three go by on the outside corner.
18:47: westbaystars: Two down.
18:48: westbaystars: Kubo stays on the bench and Ide comes up to pinch hit.
18:48: westbaystars: That's two innings, five earned runs against Kubo, the pitcher of record for the Giants.
18:49: westbaystars: Ide lifts the ball high and deep to center.
18:49: westbaystars: But not deep enough to wipe that blank stare off of Kubo as Ogata comes over to take the ball in to retire the side.
18:50: westbaystars: Feliciano shuts down the bottom of the Giants' in order.
18:50: westbaystars: At the end of two complete, the Carp lead 5-2.
18:50: westbaystars: ---
18:50: westbaystars: Top of Third
18:50: westbaystars: ---
18:50: westbaystars: Satoh comes in to pitch for the Giants.
18:51: westbaystars: Satoh is 1 and 0 with a 4.15 ERA in 11 appearances.
18:51: westbaystars: Satoh's first win came on June 3 against Chunichi, working 3 1/3rd innings of relief.
18:53: westbaystars: The first batter Satoh faces is Sheets, who hit a double his first time at bat.
18:53: westbaystars: And he drills the ball up the middle and into center field for a base hit.
18:53: westbaystars: One pitch, one base runner.
18:54: westbaystars: That'll bring up Maeda.
18:55: westbaystars: Maeda lifts the ball to shallow center and throws his bat away in discust.
18:55: westbaystars: Nioka goes out a bit and makes the catch.
18:56: westbaystars: One down, runner still at first.
18:56: westbaystars: That brings up Kurihara.
18:56: westbaystars: He takes two quick strikes from Satoh to go in the hole in a hurry.
18:57: westbaystars: The next pitch is low, ball one.
18:58: westbaystars: Kurihara fouls the next pitch off his left ancle, and goes down to have a talk with the trainer.
18:58: westbaystars: After shaking the pain off, he stands back in.
18:58: westbaystars: The next pitch is way low, one bounding the catcher.
18:58: westbaystars: But Kurihara swings and misses for strike three.
18:59: westbaystars: With the runner at first, Abe quickly chases down the ball off his chest, but the runner holds.
18:59: westbaystars: Nomura comes up next.
19:00: westbaystars: He swats at a pitch high and tight. A slow curve?
19:00: westbaystars: It looked like he was bailing, then changed his mind at the last second.
19:00: westbaystars: Two pitches later, though, he goes down swinging at a pitch way up high.
19:01: westbaystars: Satoh appears to be fooling the middle of the Carp line-up.
19:01: westbaystars: We had a lead off base runner, but there he's stranded.
19:01: westbaystars: Going to the bottom of the third, Hiroshima still leads 5-2.
19:01: westbaystars: ---
19:01: westbaystars: Bottom of Third
19:01: westbaystars: ---
19:02: westbaystars: Feliciano faces the top of the Giants' order in Nishi.
19:04: westbaystars: Nishi works the count full.
19:04: westbaystars: The pay-off pitch is grounded just inside the third base bag and into the left field corner!
19:04: westbaystars: Nishi rounds first and is into second base standing up well before the throw.
19:05: westbaystars: That'll bring up Shimizu, who evened the score temporarilly in the first inning with a two run home run.
19:05: westbaystars: He lifts Feliciano's offering up high, but not out of the infield.
19:06: westbaystars: LaRocca calls for the ball, and pulls it in for the out.
19:06: westbaystars: That'll bring up Rhodes.
19:06: westbaystars: Rhodes has 22 home runs, one short of team mate Abe.
19:07: westbaystars: Scouting report on Feliciano is that he maxes out at 152 km/h and has seven varieties of change-up.
19:09: MHStevie: I didn't notice Rhodes had caught up with Abe...
19:09: westbaystars: He goes full count to Rhodes.
19:09: westbaystars: Abe sprinted out quickly.
19:09: westbaystars: Like a rabbit.
19:09: westbaystars: Rhodes has been more steady, it seems.
19:10: westbaystars: But he draws a walk here, the ball way outside.
19:10: westbaystars: That'll bring up Takahashi.
19:11: westbaystars: Hiroshima team leader Nomura gives Feliciano some words of encouragement before facing Takahashi.
19:11: westbaystars: The announcers say that Feliciano understands a bit of Japanese.
19:11: westbaystars: Takahashi lifts the ball the other way to left.
19:12: westbaystars: Maeda runs over toward the line, to the fense, jumps,
19:12: westbaystars: haitta!
19:12: westbaystars: The ball just clears the left field fence at the closes point, centemeters above the rail.
19:12: MHStevie: Wow! Tied up again?
19:13: westbaystars: It doesn't matter how much he cleared it by, though, the Giants just tied the game.
19:14: westbaystars: All five runs for the Giants have been knocked in via home runs.
19:14: westbaystars: That brings up Petagine.
19:14: westbaystars: Peta-chan grounds the ball to LaRocca at second, who has an easy play to first.
19:15: MHStevie: With that power line-up, Yomiuri never seems to be out of a game...
19:15: westbaystars: But it comes one batter too late as the Giants tied the game on Takahashi's big three run home run.
19:15: westbaystars: I need to enter a couple of weeks of scores.
19:15: westbaystars: But I'm wondering if the Giants have been shut-out yet this season.
19:16: westbaystars: There have only been a couple of games that they *didn't* hit a home run in.
19:16: westbaystars: ---
19:16: westbaystars: Top of Fourth
19:16: westbaystars: ---
19:16: MHStevie: I'd have to check, but I can't think of one off the top of my head...
19:16: westbaystars: Ishihara leads off the fourth inning.
19:17: westbaystars: He scores on Ogata's base hit in the second, the only score of the game *not* plated on a long ball.
19:17: westbaystars: He gives the ball a ride to left, but right at Shimizu.
19:17: westbaystars: One out.
19:18: westbaystars: That brings up Feliciano.
19:18: westbaystars: He grounded out to short in the first, but looked good at the plate.
19:18: westbaystars: And he lines the first pitch from Satoh to him to right.
19:18: westbaystars: The ball bounces well in front of Takahashi-kun, base hit!
19:19: westbaystars: The announcer confirms that pitchers in the Dominican are pretty good batters.
19:20: westbaystars: Ogata is at the plate.
19:21: westbaystars: After going two for two in his first two at bats, he takes a walk to first.
19:21: westbaystars: Hiroshima has a big chance yet again.
19:21: westbaystars: One out, runners at first and second, Shima at the plate.
19:21: westbaystars: Shima hit a two run home run his last at bat.
19:22: westbaystars: But he's quickly in the hole with two strikes and no balls.
19:23: westbaystars: The next pitch is grounded to Petagine at first.
19:23: westbaystars: Peta-chan throws to second for the force play, but that's all they'll get.
19:23: westbaystars: Horiuchi-kantoku comes out of the dugout, and we have a pitching change.
19:24: westbaystars: Kawahara will take over for Satoh, who pitched very effectively, IMHO.
19:26: MHStevie: Yeah, he didn't give up anything to the clean-up spots last inning...
19:27: westbaystars: Watanabe-owner has been quite hostile toward Kawahara, so it should be interesting depending on how he does here.
19:27: westbaystars: LaRocca, who hit the two run homer in the first to start the scoring, greets Kawahara.
19:27: westbaystars: Kawahara's first pitch is taken way up high, ball one.
19:28: westbaystars: The next pitch is taken for a strike on the inside corner. Or maybe he swung. It was kind of tight.
19:28: westbaystars: The 1-1 offering is hit deep to right.
19:28: westbaystars: Yoshinobu goes back, to the warning track,
19:29: westbaystars: haittaaaaaaaa!
19:29: westbaystars: About five rows back into the Giants' oen-dan.
19:29: westbaystars: The three run shot puts Hiroshima up 8-5.
19:30: westbaystars: And Watanabe-owner should have some quotable quotes in tomorrow's paper.
19:30: westbaystars: That brings up Sheets, who has a pair of doubles so far this game.
19:31: westbaystars: Sheets pops the ball up to shallow left this time.
19:31: westbaystars: On the line between the infield and outfield, Nioka takes the ball in for out number three.
19:32: westbaystars: But not before LaRocca hits his second home run of the game, a lead taking three run shot.
19:32: westbaystars: Going to the bottom of the fourth, Hiroshima retakes the lead, 8-5.
19:32: westbaystars: ---
19:32: westbaystars: Bottom of Fourth
19:32: westbaystars: ---
19:33: westbaystars: Abe leads off for the Giants.
19:33: westbaystars: *** Chunichi defeated Yakult 2-1.
19:34: westbaystars: *** Yokohama defeated Hanshin 7-2.
19:34: westbaystars: *** Daiei defeated Orix 11-6.
19:34: westbaystars: Abe lifts the ball to right field.
19:35: westbaystars: Ogata and Shima come together after the ball, with Ogata retreating at the last second.
19:35: westbaystars: One out.
19:35: MHStevie: The BayStars really have Hanshin's number this year, don't they...?
19:35: westbaystars: *** Seibu defeated Lotte 8-4.
19:35: westbaystars: Yes, they do.
19:36: westbaystars: Nioka lines out to Sheets, two down.
19:36: westbaystars: Kawahara grabs a helmet and bat and will bat for himself.
19:36: westbaystars: Why?
19:36: westbaystars: Does Horiuchi-kantoku have some grudge against Nabetsu?
19:36: westbaystars: Kawahara does down swinging on three pitches, and the side is retired.
19:37: westbaystars: Giants go quietly in the fourth, and continue to trail 5-8.
19:37: westbaystars: ---
19:37: westbaystars: Top of Fifth
19:37: westbaystars: ---
19:38: westbaystars: I'm not sure what's with Yokohama and Hanshin this year.
19:38: westbaystars: Law of averages evening out?
19:38: MHStevie: Heh... seems like the psych advantage goes to the BayStars in that matchup this time around.
19:38: westbaystars: The Central League all together doesn't have anyone running away with it, or completely out of it.
19:39: westbaystars: Any team can be anywhere from first to last in any given week.
19:39: westbaystars: Maeda leads off against Kawahara, grounding out to Nioka in front of the second base bag.
19:39: westbaystars: One quick out.
19:40: westbaystars: Kurihara comes up next.
19:41: westbaystars: And he goes down on strikes on four pitches.
19:42: westbaystars: Hey, Kawahara seemed to find *it*. Maybe Horiuchi-kantoku isn't so mad after all.
19:42: westbaystars: Nomura comes up next.
19:43: westbaystars: And he fouls out to Nishi just left of the third base bag.
19:43: westbaystars: Hiroshima goes down in order for the second time this evening.
19:43: westbaystars: ---
19:43: westbaystars: Bottom of Fifth
19:43: westbaystars: ---
19:45: westbaystars: The Giants send up the top of their order in Nishi.
19:45: westbaystars: They've scored each time Nishi's reached base so far.
19:45: MHStevie: Kawahara'll need some supports from the offense to fully avoid Horiuchi-kantoku's wrath, most likely...
19:46: westbaystars: Yep. This is the productive part of the order so far.
19:47: westbaystars: And he lines the ball just inside the line up the left field side.
19:47: westbaystars: Nishi kicks first and heads into second.
19:48: westbaystars: He thinks about third before the ball gets back in from the corner.
19:48: westbaystars: Modasho for Nishi, three for three.
19:48: westbaystars: Shimizu, who tied the game once with a home run, comes up next.
19:49: westbaystars: The Giants have hit 122 home runs so far this season, a 300 home run pace for the year.
19:50: westbaystars: The Central League record is 226, I think it said. It's somewhere in that ball park.
19:51: westbaystars: With the count full, Feliciano's shoubu pitch is taken outside, ball four.
19:51: westbaystars: That was Feliciano's 85th pitch of the game, his ichi-gun debut.
19:51: westbaystars: He's still three outs away from a win.
19:52: westbaystars: After a short discussion on the mound, Rhodes steps in to face the rookie from the Dominican Republic.
19:52: westbaystars: And the first pitch is swung on in that huge upper cut by Rhodes.
19:52: westbaystars: But fouled back.
19:53: westbaystars: The next pitch is popped up, but not far.
19:53: westbaystars: Maeda comes over and takes the ball in in shallow left-center.
19:53: westbaystars: One out.
19:54: westbaystars: That brings up Takahashi Yoshinobu, who tied the game up earlier with a three run shot just over the left field fense.
19:55: westbaystars: He grounds the ball to second.
19:56: westbaystars: With Kurihara and LaRocca both going to play the ball, LaRocca fields it, and throws to Feliciano covering.
19:56: westbaystars: The throw looked a little high, but Feliciano has the height to get it just in front of Takahashi.
19:56: westbaystars: That's the second out of the inning, with runners moving up to second and third.
19:57: westbaystars: Petagine comes up next.
19:57: westbaystars: No, Kokubo comes up next. Peta-chan is on deck.
19:58: westbaystars: OK. Kokubo draws a walk to load the bases, and Peta-chan come up.
19:59: MHStevie: Did they pitch around Kokubo, or was that a natural walk?
19:59: westbaystars: Peta grounds the ball up the first base line. And the ball goes foul just before Kurihara can play it.
19:59: westbaystars: A natural walk, but nothing very challenging.
20:00: westbaystars: Peta swings, hattaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
20:00: westbaystars: Manrui home run!
20:00: westbaystars: No doubt about that off the bat.
20:00: MHStevie: WOW!!!
20:00: westbaystars: The Giants take the lead!
20:01: westbaystars: Petagine's 9th home run of the season is a big gyaku-ten grand slam home run.
20:01: westbaystars: The Giants take the lead 9-8.
20:01: westbaystars: Abe comes up next.
20:03: westbaystars: Feliciano strikes Abe out swinging.
20:03: westbaystars: But doesn't look very pleased with himself as he comes off the mound.
20:03: westbaystars: Again, an out comes one batter two late.
20:03: westbaystars: The Giants now have a 2-run, 3-run, and grand slam to account for nine runs.
20:04: westbaystars: And have the lead for the first time this game, 9-8.
20:04: westbaystars: ---
20:04: westbaystars: Top of Sixth
20:04: westbaystars: ---
20:06: westbaystars: Ishihara leads off grounding out to second. One out.
20:07: westbaystars: Arai comes up to pinch hit for Feliciano.
20:08: westbaystars: Arai is 2 for 10 (.200) as a pinch hitter so far this season.
20:09: westbaystars: He draws a one out walk against Kawahara on five pitches.
20:09: westbaystars: That brings us to the top of Hiroshima's order in Ogata.
20:10: westbaystars: Kawahara has trouble finding the strike zone, throwing two straight balls.
20:11: westbaystars: Of course, the last time Kawahara faced Ogata, Ogata hit a sayonara home run against him.
20:11: westbaystars: The next pitch is out-low, ball three.
20:12: westbaystars: And another outside pitch, Ogata walks on four pitches.
20:13: westbaystars: That sends the pitching coach out to the mound.
20:13: westbaystars: After a short talk with Kawahara nodding, the coach returns to the dugout.
20:13: MHStevie: Horiuchi-kantoku must be fuming...
20:13: westbaystars: Shima steps in.
20:14: westbaystars: Horiuchi-kantoku, from what the camera shows, looks quite calm.
20:14: westbaystars: After a foul ball on the first pitch, Kawahara throws ball one.
20:14: westbaystars: The next pitch is fouled off the left side. Well, Kawahara found the strike zone.
20:15: westbaystars: Shima is batting .486 with runner in scoring position, top in the Central League.
20:15: westbaystars: But not here.
20:15: westbaystars: He grounds the ball right back to Kawahara.
20:15: westbaystars: Kawahara turns, fires to second for one, the relay to first end the inning.
20:16: westbaystars: Kawahara pitched himself into a jam walking a pair, but got out of it.
20:16: westbaystars: Hiroshima still trails by a run, 8-9.
20:18: westbaystars: ---
20:18: westbaystars: Bottom of Sixth
20:18: westbaystars: ---
20:19: westbaystars: In to pitch for Hiroshima is Araki (I think).
20:19: westbaystars: No, Tamaki.
20:19: westbaystars: He faces Nioka to start off the inning.
20:20: westbaystars: The bottom of the Giants' order has been dormant this evening.
20:20: westbaystars: And Nioka keeps that up, grounding out to second.
20:20: westbaystars: Motoki comes up to pinch hit for Kawahara.
20:20: westbaystars: He lifts Tamaki's first pitch to right.
20:21: westbaystars: But right at Shima, who takes just a couple steps in to retire Motoki.
20:21: westbaystars: That brings up Nishi.
20:22: westbaystars: In see-saw games, the Giants are 18 and 18.
20:22: westbaystars: Nishi grounds the ball to Sheets at short.
20:22: westbaystars: Sheets throws to first, and the Giants are down in order.
20:23: westbaystars: More importantly, Nishi is denied his first scoring chance of the game.
20:23: westbaystars: (He's scored his first three at bats.)
20:23: westbaystars: At the end of sixe complete, the Giants lead 9-8.
20:23: westbaystars: ---
20:23: westbaystars: Top of Seventh
20:23: westbaystars: ---
20:24: westbaystars: Randel comes in to pitch for the Giants.
20:24: MHStevie: Greetings, habs!
20:24: MHStevie: This is one wild game going on...
20:26: westbaystars: More bad news for Walker yesterday, Habs-san.
20:26: westbaystars: 2 1/3rd innings, six runs given up, four of them earned.
20:27: habs: Greetings everyone.
20:27: westbaystars: LaRocca, who has hit 2-run and 3-run home runs this evening, leads off.
20:27: westbaystars: He lifts the ball to center, but not far.
20:28: westbaystars: Rhodes runs in and pulls the ball in on a sprint.
20:28: westbaystars: One out.
20:28: westbaystars: Sheets comes up next.
20:29: westbaystars: Sheets goes down swinging at a ball up high in the strike zone.
20:30: westbaystars: It was a fork ball that didn't drop? That's what the announcers are saying.
20:30: westbaystars: Maeda comes up next.
20:31: habs: Hope pete gets in a good groove soon.
20:33: westbaystars: Maeda grounds the ball up right of the second base bag and into center field. Base hit.
20:33: westbaystars: Two out runner on base, Kurihara comes up to the plate.
20:33: westbaystars: Kurihara is the number six batter in the line-up, for reference.
20:35: westbaystars: With two strikes and no balls, Kurihara protects the plate, fouling off a pitch quite a bit outside.
20:35: westbaystars: The next pitch is lifted deep to right.
20:35: westbaystars: Takahashi goes back, back,
20:35: westbaystars: to the warning track,
20:35: westbaystars: and pulls the ball in. The side is retired.
20:36: westbaystars: Going to the Giants' Lucky Seven, the Giants continue to lead 9-8.
20:36: westbaystars: ---
20:36: westbaystars: Bottom of Seventh
20:36: westbaystars: ---
20:38: westbaystars: Number two Shimizu leads off the Giants' Lucky Seven.
20:38: westbaystars: He homered in the first inning to tie the game at two at that point.
20:40: westbaystars: He grounds to second this time.
20:40: westbaystars: And dispite a fast sprint up the line, is out number one.
20:40: westbaystars: That brings up Rhodes.
20:41: westbaystars: Rhodes says that he'd like to meet Kintetsu in the Nihone Series at the end of the season.
20:41: westbaystars: *** That is, Nihon Series. ***
20:42: westbaystars: Rhodes hits the ball to left, but not far enough.
20:42: westbaystars: Maeda comes in to play the ball, and we have two outs.
20:43: westbaystars: That brings up Takahashi, who hit the big grand slam to take the lead back in the fifth inning.
20:43: MHStevie: Hmmm? I thought that was Peta-chan...
20:44: westbaystars: Oh, yea. You're right.
20:44: westbaystars: It was Takahashi who tied it up with the home run to left in the third.
20:44: westbaystars: Thanks for catching that.
20:44: MHStevie: Yeah, the 3-run shot...
20:44: westbaystars: The count goes full to Yoshinobu.
20:45: westbaystars: He pulls the ball to the right side, a slow dribbler.
20:45: westbaystars: LaRocca rushes in while Takahashi sprints to first.
20:45: westbaystars: The rushed throw to first *just* gets him.
20:45: westbaystars: The side is retired in order.
20:46: westbaystars: Not so lucky a seventh for either team.
20:46: westbaystars: But at the end of seven complete, the Giants continue to lead 9-8.
20:46: westbaystars: ---
20:46: westbaystars: Top of Eighth
20:46: westbaystars: ---
20:46: MHStevie: It's calmed down since the 5th...
20:47: westbaystars: Yea. And it seems to have sped up. I was afraid this would be a four hour marathon from the pace of the first five.
20:47: westbaystars: Randel remains on the mound for the Giants.
20:48: westbaystars: He faces Nomura to lead off the inning.
20:48: MHStevie: No kidding... I was surprised it was so early in the game when I got here...
20:49: westbaystars: Getting into the relief corps early tends to slow a game down.
20:49: westbaystars: Randel works the count full to Nomura.
20:50: westbaystars: They're already showing a countdown to 2,000 hits for the 16 year veteran at the plate.
20:50: westbaystars: 104 hits.
20:50: westbaystars: ... to go.
20:50: westbaystars: The next pitch is high and outside, ball four.
20:50: westbaystars: The lead-off runner is on.
20:50: westbaystars: And Yamamoto-kantoku sends out Fukuchi to run for Nomura.
20:51: westbaystars: He wants that tying run this late in the game at any cost.
20:51: westbaystars: Kimura squares to bunt, but pulls the bat back to swing away, and takes ball one.
20:52: westbaystars: Kimura is pinch hitting for Ishihara.
20:52: westbaystars: And he lays down a very good bunt to the third base side of the mound.
20:52: westbaystars: Randel's only play is first.
20:52: westbaystars: The sacrifice is successful.
20:53: westbaystars: Asai is announced as the pinch hitter for pitcher Tamaki.
20:53: westbaystars: And Horiuchi-kantoku comes out to change pitchers to Okajima.
20:55: westbaystars: Hmm. What I've seen of Okajima so far hasn't been that of a stopper.
20:55: westbaystars: Or am I thinking of Shimada?
20:56: westbaystars: Kimura Kazuyoshi comes up to pinch hit for the pinch hitter.
20:56: MHStevie: I seem to recall in one of these games you've covered Okajima looking less than impressive...
20:57: westbaystars: Right handed batter vs. left handed pitcher.
20:58: westbaystars: Kimura is 1 for 6 as a pinch hitter this season.
20:58: westbaystars: But 1 for 2 with runners in scoring position.
20:59: westbaystars: Okajima gets in a hole, one strike, three balls.
20:59: westbaystars: The next pitch is taken outside, ball four.
20:59: westbaystars: Runners at first and second, one out.
21:00: westbaystars: And we have another pinch runner come in, Higashide.
21:00: westbaystars: This is the all important gyaku-ten (go-ahead) run.
21:00: MHStevie: Trying to minimize the double play threat?
21:01: westbaystars: Horiuchi-kantoku is laughing in the dugout. What about? I don't know.
21:01: westbaystars: That may be it. And Ogata is a hard double play prospect.
21:01: westbaystars: But the matter is moot as Ogata lines the ball off the left field fense!
21:02: westbaystars: Shimizu mis-plays the bounce off the ball.
21:02: westbaystars: Run run in.
21:02: westbaystars: Higashide rounds thrid, scores!
21:02: westbaystars: Gyaku-ten!
21:02: westbaystars: Ogata has a two run double.
21:02: westbaystars: And Modasho.
21:02: westbaystars: Hiroshima now leads 10-9.
21:02: westbaystars: Shima comes up to the plate.
21:03: westbaystars: Yamamoto-kantoku deserves a lot of credit for putting two speedsters on the base paths there.
21:04: westbaystars: He grounds the ball back up the middle, just left of the mound.
21:04: westbaystars: Nioka plays the ball, allows the runner to go to third, and makes the easy out at first.
21:04: westbaystars: Two outs, runner moves to third.
21:04: westbaystars: LaRocca comes up to the plate.
21:05: westbaystars: He grounds the first pitch to Kokubo at third, who short bounds the ball one one hop.
21:05: westbaystars: The throw to first is in time, and the side is retired.
21:05: westbaystars: But Hiroshima takes the lead back on Ogata's big two run double.
21:05: westbaystars: Going to the bottom of the eighth, Hiroshima now leads 10-9.
21:05: westbaystars: ---
21:05: westbaystars: Bottom of Eighth
21:05: westbaystars: ---
21:06: habs: What a game!
21:06: westbaystars: Lots of scoring. And close. A very good combination.
21:07: westbaystars: (Although I do prefer close pitching duels, this is still very exciting.)
21:07: MHStevie: Yeah, this one's been crazy... Yomiuri's already come back three times in this game...
21:07: westbaystars: Sasaoka comes in to pitch for Hiroshima.
21:08: westbaystars: We start with number five batting Kokubo this inning.
21:08: westbaystars: Kokubo, Petagine, and Abe are all long ball threats.
21:08: westbaystars: Nishiyama comes in to catch.
21:09: westbaystars: LaRocca moves from second to first.
21:09: westbaystars: Higashide stays in the game at second, I think the announcer said.
21:10: westbaystars: This is Sasaoka's career 488th game.
21:10: westbaystars: Kokubo lifts a fly ball to right field.
21:11: westbaystars: Kimura, who comes into the game in right, makes the catch just in foul territory.
21:11: westbaystars: One out.
21:11: westbaystars: Petagine grounds the ball up the middle, base hit.
21:12: westbaystars: Peta-chan will be replaced with Suzuki at first as Horiuchi-kantoku tries to get the tying run.
21:13: westbaystars: The first pitch to Abe is taken for ball one, and Suzuki steals second by a good distance.
21:13: westbaystars: The next pitch is hit deep to right-center!
21:13: westbaystars: Off the fense!
21:14: westbaystars: The cussion play is sent back to the infield, with Abe standing on second and the ball game tied!
21:14: MHStevie: Back and forth we go!
21:14: westbaystars: Horiuchi's choice of pinch runners did the trick.
21:14: westbaystars: Nioka comes up.
21:15: westbaystars: The Kimura in right is Takuya, by the way, as Kazuyoshi pinch hit and was replaced with a pinch runner.
21:16: westbaystars: Nioka works the count full.
21:17: westbaystars: And walks.
21:17: westbaystars: Runners at first and second, one out.
21:17: westbaystars: Gotoh comes on to pinch hit.
21:17: westbaystars: Kitabeppu-pitching coach heads to the mound.
21:18: westbaystars: After just a couple of words he returns to the dugout.
21:18: westbaystars: Tempo of the game seems to have slowed.
21:18: westbaystars: Sasaoka gets two quick strikes on Gotoh.
21:19: westbaystars: Then throws a waste pitch high and outside, Gotoh not taking.
21:19: westbaystars: The next pitch is pulled to right.
21:20: westbaystars: Kimura Takuya throws a bullet to home, holding Abe at third.
21:20: westbaystars: The ball got past Nishiyama, though!
21:21: westbaystars: Sasaoka, backing up, played the ball off the wall perfectly, and Abe double throught trying to head home.
21:21: westbaystars: And that looks like all for Sasaoka.
21:21: westbaystars: Amano will be coming in to pitch to Nishi.
21:21: MHStevie: Are the bases loaded?
21:22: westbaystars: Yes, that loads the bases.
21:23: westbaystars: And we all know what happened last time the bases were loaded.
21:23: westbaystars: The infield is in.
21:24: westbaystars: The first pitch to Nishi is taken outside and low, ball one.
21:24: westbaystars: The next pitch is swung on and missed, 1-1.
21:25: westbaystars: The next pitch down the middle, and swung on and missed. Strike two.
21:25: westbaystars: Amano's fourth pitch is in the dirt outside.
21:25: westbaystars: Nishiyama blocks the ball with his chest protector.
21:26: westbaystars: It doesn't go far enough for Abe to even think about coming home.
21:26: westbaystars: The next pitch is lined to center.
21:26: westbaystars: Ogata catches the ball coming in, fires home, and nobody is moving.
21:26: westbaystars: The ball was a bit up the third base line, but Abe didn't challenge it.
21:26: westbaystars: Bases still loaded, but now with two outs.
21:27: MHStevie: Close one there...
21:27: westbaystars: We're once about at the "one more out" position that can be so hard.
21:27: westbaystars: And Shimizu is at the plate.
21:28: westbaystars: It wasn't really deep enough for try. The off line throw would have given him a chance, but there was no way to know.
21:29: westbaystars: Shimizu fouls off a two strike, one ball pitch to keep the count the same.
21:29: westbaystars: The next pitch is slapped to left, fair!
21:29: habs: Still have to make the play.
21:29: westbaystars: One run is in.
21:29: westbaystars: The ball is played out of the corner.
21:29: westbaystars: Two runs are in.
21:29: westbaystars: Shimizu has a timely two-run double.
21:30: westbaystars: And the Giants take a two run lead, 12-10.
21:30: westbaystars: A two run homer and two run double for Shimizu on the night.
21:30: westbaystars: That brings up an 0 for 3 Rhodes (with a walk).
21:30: westbaystars: Rhodes grounds the ball hard to first.
21:31: westbaystars: LaRocca fields the ball while falling back.
21:31: westbaystars: Tosses the ball to the covering Amano.
21:31: westbaystars: And the side is retire.
21:31: westbaystars: But again, one batter too late.
21:31: westbaystars: The Giants take a 12-10 lead right back.
21:31: westbaystars: ---
21:32: westbaystars: Top of Ninth
21:32: westbaystars: ---
21:32: MHStevie: Pressure's back on Hiroshima...
21:32: westbaystars: Last inning it was just one run they needed. Two runs down is harder.
21:33: MHStevie: And this is their last chance to tie or take the lead...
21:33: westbaystars: Sikorsky, the Giants' closer, comes in to pitch the ninth.
21:36: westbaystars: He throws two stright strikes to Sheets, then a waste pitch.
21:36: westbaystars: The next pitch is swung on and missed. One down.
21:36: westbaystars: Maeda comes up next.
21:36: westbaystars: And Sikorsky comes right after him with two quick strikes.
21:37: westbaystars: The next pitch is in the dirt. Waste pitch.
21:38: westbaystars: And he gets Maeda reaching at the next pitch way outside.
21:38: westbaystars: Two outs.
21:38: westbaystars: I just noticed, the Giants are up 13-10. I guess Shimizu's double cleared the bases.
21:39: MHStevie: Oh, did it? That's even worse for the Carp...
21:39: westbaystars: Kurihara comes up, and lines the ball to right.
21:40: westbaystars: Going toward the line, Yoshinobu reaches for the ball on a dead run and makes the catch,
21:40: westbaystars: just inside the right field foul line!
21:40: westbaystars: One run or three, that's the game.
21:40: MHStevie: Nice play!
21:41: westbaystars: It was a very fine play. But hardly noticed among the heavy hitting.
21:41: westbaystars: Shimizu is the hero of the game.
21:41: westbaystars: *****
21:41: westbaystars: Game Final
21:41: westbaystars: Hiroshima Toyo Carp 10 - 13 Yomiuri Giants
21:41: westbaystars: *****
21:42: MHStevie: Try as they might, the Carp couldn't keep that Yomiuri line-up silent...
21:43: habs: Last couple of games have been close.
21:43: MHStevie: Aside from one blowout, most of these Sunday games have been pretty close.
21:43: westbaystars: I like games that come down to the last inning or two like this.
21:44: westbaystars: It was great.
21:44: MHStevie: Yeah, these are really exciting...
21:44: westbaystars: One thing I need to say (as I often complain about it) is that NTV stayed with the game beyond the normal 9:24 cut off.
21:45: westbaystars: I normally watch on cable, where they show the game to the end.
21:45: westbaystars: But my wife wanted to watch something, sending me to the room without the descrambler.
21:46: westbaystars: She was ready to give up the TV at 9:23, but we kept going.
21:46: westbaystars: Changes appear to be happening with broadcasts.
21:46: MHStevie: That's nice for us that NTV stayed with it this time...
21:47: westbaystars: Well, nice for my wife.
21:48: MHStevie: Heh heh...
21:48: westbaystars: I've got a couple of weeks of scores I want to enter tonight.
21:48: MHStevie: OH --- I did want to mention this, as I didn't know what coverage this got in Japan...
21:48: westbaystars: So if there isn't anything else, I'll call it a night and post the transcript.
21:49: westbaystars: Yes?
21:49: MHStevie: I saw Ohtsuka pitching for the first time with San Diego...
21:49: MHStevie: Gave two innings of great relief and a save against the Yankees on Friday...
21:49: MHStevie: Including the first encounter between Godzilla and Ohtsuka...
21:50: habs: Good job again.
21:51: westbaystars: That was covered in Nikkan Sports. But I don't really pay much attention to the MLB page.
21:51: westbaystars: Ohtsuka is slowing getting the attention of the press here.
21:51: westbaystars: But Godzilla still appeared to get the bigger headlines in the meeting.
21:52: MHStevie: Yeah, great job once again, Westbay-san... we really appreciate it!
21:52: westbaystars: The tables on the page, though, focussed more on Ohtsuka.
21:52: westbaystars: Thanks to you both for joining me.
21:53: westbaystars: It's nice to have a live audience.
21:53: MHStevie: If Ohtsuka pitches more like he did Friday, they'll give him more attention...
21:53: MHStevie: All right, I'm wrapping up the radio show here, so hopefully I'll see you all again next week!
21:54: westbaystars: Until then, then.
21:54: westbaystars: Take care all.
TRANSCRIPT generated on: 2004/06/13 21:54
CHATROOM: Pro Yakyu Game of the Week/Hiroshima Toyo Carp vs. Yomiuri Giants
MODERATORS: westbaystars
17:36: westbaystars: Welcome to the first Game of the Week for June.
17:36: westbaystars: Sorry we missed last week. After the Yokohama game was rained out, so was the evening game.
17:37: westbaystars: We don't have rain in the Kanto Area this evening, however.
17:38: westbaystars: Besides, the Giants are hosting the Carp at Tokyo Dome.
17:38: westbaystars: ***
17:38: westbaystars: I've got to get a bite to eat before game time.
17:38: westbaystars: Will be back soon.
17:38: westbaystars: ***
17:59: westbaystars: ---
17:59: westbaystars: Top of First
17:59: westbaystars: ---
18:00: westbaystars: Kubo takes the mound for the Giants, and Ogata takes ball one high.
18:00: westbaystars: The game is now underway.
18:00: westbaystars: The second offering from Kubo is lined up the middle, base hit!
18:00: westbaystars: The lead-off Carp is on base.
18:00: westbaystars: Shima bats second.
18:03: westbaystars: And he goes down swinging at a low-inside pitch for strike three.
18:03: westbaystars: One down, runner at first.
18:03: westbaystars: LaRocca bats third.
18:04: westbaystars: He swings and lifts the ball deep!
18:04: westbaystars: No doubt about it, that ball is deep in the seats of the Carp oen-dan!
18:04: westbaystars: The Carp take a quick 2-0 lead.
18:05: westbaystars: Sheets follows with a long fly ball to center on the first pitch.
18:05: westbaystars: Rhodes runs back straight toward the center field fense.
18:06: westbaystars: He reaches up on the run, but the ball clears his glove!
18:06: westbaystars: Playing the ball off the wall, Rhodes returns the ball to the infield,
18:06: westbaystars: where Sheets is in to second base standing up.
18:06: westbaystars: That'll bring up Maeda.
18:07: westbaystars: He lines the ball just left of the second base bag.
18:07: westbaystars: Nioka fields the ball and, in the same motion, runs to the second base bag.
18:07: westbaystars: But Sheets dives head first back into the bag just before Nioka, safe.
18:08: westbaystars: That gives up two outs, runner at second.
18:09: westbaystars: Kurihara comes up next.
18:09: westbaystars: Five of Kurihara's eight home runs so far this season have been against the Giants.
18:10: westbaystars: And he's batting .476 at Tokyo Dome this season.
18:10: westbaystars: He swings at a low pitch, two bounding it to Nioka at short.
18:10: westbaystars: Nioka fields the ball and throws Kurihara out for the final out of the inning.
18:11: westbaystars: But not before Hiroshima took a quick 2-0 lead on LaRocca's two run home run.
18:11: westbaystars: ---
18:11: westbaystars: Bottom of First
18:11: westbaystars: ---
18:12: westbaystars: Dominican rookie Feliciano (sp?) gets his first start this season for the Carp.
18:12: westbaystars: His first offering to Nishi is called strike one on the outside corner.
18:13: westbaystars: Feliciano came up through the Dominican Carp Academy recently, after the Player Meikan was published.
18:14: westbaystars: Nishi drills the ball through the left side, Sheets just missing the ball in deep short.
18:14: westbaystars: Shimizu comes up next.
18:15: westbaystars: G+ (the Giants' channel) reports that Feliciano was signed in April to come to Japan from the Academy.
18:16: westbaystars: Shimizu lifts the ball high and deep to right.
18:16: westbaystars: Shima goes back to the wall.
18:17: westbaystars: Shima looks up, and the ball goes into the right field stands.
18:17: westbaystars: Haittaaaaaa.
18:17: westbaystars: The two run home run evens the score at 2-2.
18:18: westbaystars: That'll bring up Rhodes.
18:19: westbaystars: And he does down singing at a change-up.
18:19: westbaystars: One down.
18:19: westbaystars: Takahashi Yoshinobu bats fourth.
18:19: westbaystars: He lifts the ball deep to right!
18:19: westbaystars: But foul.
18:20: westbaystars: No doubt about the distance on that one.
18:20: westbaystars: The 1-1 pitch is lifted to center, but not deep.
18:20: westbaystars: Ogana runs over and takes the ball in for out number two.
18:20: westbaystars: That'll bring up Kokubo.
18:22: westbaystars: Feliciano is 2 and 2 with a 4.42 ERA in 8 appearances in the Western League (farm).
18:22: westbaystars: G+ has done a good job in gathering information of Feliciano for their broadcase.
18:23: westbaystars: With a full count, Kokubo checks his swing and takes ball four low.
18:23: westbaystars: Two out baserunner on board.
18:23: westbaystars: And that brings up Petagine, back in the line-up after Kiyohara surpassed 2,000 hits.
18:24: westbaystars: He grounds the fist pitch weakly to first.
18:24: westbaystars: Kurihara fields the ball and goes to the bag himself, just in front of Feliciano.
18:24: westbaystars: That retires the side.
18:24: westbaystars: But not before the Giants tied the game with Shimizu's two run home run to answer LaRocca.
18:25: westbaystars: At the end of one complete, the game is tied 2-2.
18:25: westbaystars: ---
18:25: westbaystars: Top of Second
18:25: westbaystars: ---
18:26: westbaystars: We start off the second with number seven batter Nomura.
18:26: westbaystars: He grounds out to Nishi at second for the first out.
18:27: westbaystars: That'll bring up Ishihara.
18:28: westbaystars: Kubo has lost all four starts against Hiroshima this year so far.
18:29: westbaystars: Ishihara lines the ball into the right-center gap (uchukan).
18:29: westbaystars: By the time the ball is played off the wall and returned, Ishihara is standing on second base.
18:30: westbaystars: That'll bring up Feliciano for his first NPB (ichi-gun) at bat.
18:30: westbaystars: And he swings big at an outside pitch.
18:30: westbaystars: He's up there close to the base, looking to hit the ball.
18:31: westbaystars: After taking a ball, he grounds the ball just foul up the first base line.
18:31: westbaystars: The next pitch is taken outside and low. The count runs to 2-2.
18:31: westbaystars: Now Feliciano takes ball three outside, full count.
18:32: westbaystars: Kubo's pitch is down the middle, and fouled back. Feliciano is fighting well.
18:33: westbaystars: The seventh pitch to the opposing pitcher is fouled off the plate and into Abe's chest protector.
18:33: westbaystars: The next pitch is grounded to Nioka at short.
18:33: westbaystars: Nioka looks Ishihara back to the second base bag, then throws to first for the out.
18:33: westbaystars: Feliciano looked good up there. Better than most pitchers.
18:34: westbaystars: That brings us to the top of the order in Ogata.
18:36: westbaystars: Ogata lines the ball over Kokubo's head at third and into left.
18:37: westbaystars: Ishihara kicks third as Shimizu plays the ball and heads toward the plate.
18:37: westbaystars: The ball is cut off by Kokubo, and there's no throw home.
18:37: westbaystars: Ishihara scores!
18:37: westbaystars: Hiroshima takes a 3-2 lead.
18:37: westbaystars: Ogata holds to first base on the cut play.
18:37: westbaystars: Runner now at first, two outs.
18:38: westbaystars: Shima at the plate.
18:38: westbaystars: Shima currently leads the Central League in batting average at .356.
18:39: westbaystars: Kubo battles the count full against Shima.
18:40: westbaystars: He hits the ball deep to right! No doubt about this one!
18:40: westbaystars: It is in the right field stands!
18:40: westbaystars: Two run home run!
18:41: westbaystars: That puts the Carp up 5-2.
18:41: westbaystars: LaRocca, who hit a two run shot in the first inning, comes up next.
18:41: MHStevie: Haitta! (a little late)
18:42: westbaystars: LaRocca grounds the out-course pitch to second. Nishi throws him out at first, and the side is retired.
18:43: westbaystars: But not before Hiroshima scored three more runs on a single by Ogata and a two run home run by Shima.
18:43: westbaystars: ---
18:43: westbaystars: Bottom of Second
18:43: westbaystars: ---
18:44: westbaystars: Abe leads off the second for the Giants.
18:44: westbaystars: Feliciano had his crossed up on the second pitch, Abe swinging hard to bring the count even at 1-1.
18:45: westbaystars: Three pitches later, Abe lifts the ball high to left-center, but not very deep.
18:45: westbaystars: Maeda comes over and brings the ball in for the first out.
18:46: westbaystars: That'll bring Nioka to the plate.
18:46: westbaystars: Nioka is 9 for 18 (.500) against Hiroshima this season.
18:47: westbaystars: And he watches strike three go by on the outside corner.
18:47: westbaystars: Two down.
18:48: westbaystars: Kubo stays on the bench and Ide comes up to pinch hit.
18:48: westbaystars: That's two innings, five earned runs against Kubo, the pitcher of record for the Giants.
18:49: westbaystars: Ide lifts the ball high and deep to center.
18:49: westbaystars: But not deep enough to wipe that blank stare off of Kubo as Ogata comes over to take the ball in to retire the side.
18:50: westbaystars: Feliciano shuts down the bottom of the Giants' in order.
18:50: westbaystars: At the end of two complete, the Carp lead 5-2.
18:50: westbaystars: ---
18:50: westbaystars: Top of Third
18:50: westbaystars: ---
18:50: westbaystars: Satoh comes in to pitch for the Giants.
18:51: westbaystars: Satoh is 1 and 0 with a 4.15 ERA in 11 appearances.
18:51: westbaystars: Satoh's first win came on June 3 against Chunichi, working 3 1/3rd innings of relief.
18:53: westbaystars: The first batter Satoh faces is Sheets, who hit a double his first time at bat.
18:53: westbaystars: And he drills the ball up the middle and into center field for a base hit.
18:53: westbaystars: One pitch, one base runner.
18:54: westbaystars: That'll bring up Maeda.
18:55: westbaystars: Maeda lifts the ball to shallow center and throws his bat away in discust.
18:55: westbaystars: Nioka goes out a bit and makes the catch.
18:56: westbaystars: One down, runner still at first.
18:56: westbaystars: That brings up Kurihara.
18:56: westbaystars: He takes two quick strikes from Satoh to go in the hole in a hurry.
18:57: westbaystars: The next pitch is low, ball one.
18:58: westbaystars: Kurihara fouls the next pitch off his left ancle, and goes down to have a talk with the trainer.
18:58: westbaystars: After shaking the pain off, he stands back in.
18:58: westbaystars: The next pitch is way low, one bounding the catcher.
18:58: westbaystars: But Kurihara swings and misses for strike three.
18:59: westbaystars: With the runner at first, Abe quickly chases down the ball off his chest, but the runner holds.
18:59: westbaystars: Nomura comes up next.
19:00: westbaystars: He swats at a pitch high and tight. A slow curve?
19:00: westbaystars: It looked like he was bailing, then changed his mind at the last second.
19:00: westbaystars: Two pitches later, though, he goes down swinging at a pitch way up high.
19:01: westbaystars: Satoh appears to be fooling the middle of the Carp line-up.
19:01: westbaystars: We had a lead off base runner, but there he's stranded.
19:01: westbaystars: Going to the bottom of the third, Hiroshima still leads 5-2.
19:01: westbaystars: ---
19:01: westbaystars: Bottom of Third
19:01: westbaystars: ---
19:02: westbaystars: Feliciano faces the top of the Giants' order in Nishi.
19:04: westbaystars: Nishi works the count full.
19:04: westbaystars: The pay-off pitch is grounded just inside the third base bag and into the left field corner!
19:04: westbaystars: Nishi rounds first and is into second base standing up well before the throw.
19:05: westbaystars: That'll bring up Shimizu, who evened the score temporarilly in the first inning with a two run home run.
19:05: westbaystars: He lifts Feliciano's offering up high, but not out of the infield.
19:06: westbaystars: LaRocca calls for the ball, and pulls it in for the out.
19:06: westbaystars: That'll bring up Rhodes.
19:06: westbaystars: Rhodes has 22 home runs, one short of team mate Abe.
19:07: westbaystars: Scouting report on Feliciano is that he maxes out at 152 km/h and has seven varieties of change-up.
19:09: MHStevie: I didn't notice Rhodes had caught up with Abe...
19:09: westbaystars: He goes full count to Rhodes.
19:09: westbaystars: Abe sprinted out quickly.
19:09: westbaystars: Like a rabbit.
19:09: westbaystars: Rhodes has been more steady, it seems.
19:10: westbaystars: But he draws a walk here, the ball way outside.
19:10: westbaystars: That'll bring up Takahashi.
19:11: westbaystars: Hiroshima team leader Nomura gives Feliciano some words of encouragement before facing Takahashi.
19:11: westbaystars: The announcers say that Feliciano understands a bit of Japanese.
19:11: westbaystars: Takahashi lifts the ball the other way to left.
19:12: westbaystars: Maeda runs over toward the line, to the fense, jumps,
19:12: westbaystars: haitta!
19:12: westbaystars: The ball just clears the left field fence at the closes point, centemeters above the rail.
19:12: MHStevie: Wow! Tied up again?
19:13: westbaystars: It doesn't matter how much he cleared it by, though, the Giants just tied the game.
19:14: westbaystars: All five runs for the Giants have been knocked in via home runs.
19:14: westbaystars: That brings up Petagine.
19:14: westbaystars: Peta-chan grounds the ball to LaRocca at second, who has an easy play to first.
19:15: MHStevie: With that power line-up, Yomiuri never seems to be out of a game...
19:15: westbaystars: But it comes one batter too late as the Giants tied the game on Takahashi's big three run home run.
19:15: westbaystars: I need to enter a couple of weeks of scores.
19:15: westbaystars: But I'm wondering if the Giants have been shut-out yet this season.
19:16: westbaystars: There have only been a couple of games that they *didn't* hit a home run in.
19:16: westbaystars: ---
19:16: westbaystars: Top of Fourth
19:16: westbaystars: ---
19:16: MHStevie: I'd have to check, but I can't think of one off the top of my head...
19:16: westbaystars: Ishihara leads off the fourth inning.
19:17: westbaystars: He scores on Ogata's base hit in the second, the only score of the game *not* plated on a long ball.
19:17: westbaystars: He gives the ball a ride to left, but right at Shimizu.
19:17: westbaystars: One out.
19:18: westbaystars: That brings up Feliciano.
19:18: westbaystars: He grounded out to short in the first, but looked good at the plate.
19:18: westbaystars: And he lines the first pitch from Satoh to him to right.
19:18: westbaystars: The ball bounces well in front of Takahashi-kun, base hit!
19:19: westbaystars: The announcer confirms that pitchers in the Dominican are pretty good batters.
19:20: westbaystars: Ogata is at the plate.
19:21: westbaystars: After going two for two in his first two at bats, he takes a walk to first.
19:21: westbaystars: Hiroshima has a big chance yet again.
19:21: westbaystars: One out, runners at first and second, Shima at the plate.
19:21: westbaystars: Shima hit a two run home run his last at bat.
19:22: westbaystars: But he's quickly in the hole with two strikes and no balls.
19:23: westbaystars: The next pitch is grounded to Petagine at first.
19:23: westbaystars: Peta-chan throws to second for the force play, but that's all they'll get.
19:23: westbaystars: Horiuchi-kantoku comes out of the dugout, and we have a pitching change.
19:24: westbaystars: Kawahara will take over for Satoh, who pitched very effectively, IMHO.
19:26: MHStevie: Yeah, he didn't give up anything to the clean-up spots last inning...
19:27: westbaystars: Watanabe-owner has been quite hostile toward Kawahara, so it should be interesting depending on how he does here.
19:27: westbaystars: LaRocca, who hit the two run homer in the first to start the scoring, greets Kawahara.
19:27: westbaystars: Kawahara's first pitch is taken way up high, ball one.
19:28: westbaystars: The next pitch is taken for a strike on the inside corner. Or maybe he swung. It was kind of tight.
19:28: westbaystars: The 1-1 offering is hit deep to right.
19:28: westbaystars: Yoshinobu goes back, to the warning track,
19:29: westbaystars: haittaaaaaaaa!
19:29: westbaystars: About five rows back into the Giants' oen-dan.
19:29: westbaystars: The three run shot puts Hiroshima up 8-5.
19:30: westbaystars: And Watanabe-owner should have some quotable quotes in tomorrow's paper.
19:30: westbaystars: That brings up Sheets, who has a pair of doubles so far this game.
19:31: westbaystars: Sheets pops the ball up to shallow left this time.
19:31: westbaystars: On the line between the infield and outfield, Nioka takes the ball in for out number three.
19:32: westbaystars: But not before LaRocca hits his second home run of the game, a lead taking three run shot.
19:32: westbaystars: Going to the bottom of the fourth, Hiroshima retakes the lead, 8-5.
19:32: westbaystars: ---
19:32: westbaystars: Bottom of Fourth
19:32: westbaystars: ---
19:33: westbaystars: Abe leads off for the Giants.
19:33: westbaystars: *** Chunichi defeated Yakult 2-1.
19:34: westbaystars: *** Yokohama defeated Hanshin 7-2.
19:34: westbaystars: *** Daiei defeated Orix 11-6.
19:34: westbaystars: Abe lifts the ball to right field.
19:35: westbaystars: Ogata and Shima come together after the ball, with Ogata retreating at the last second.
19:35: westbaystars: One out.
19:35: MHStevie: The BayStars really have Hanshin's number this year, don't they...?
19:35: westbaystars: *** Seibu defeated Lotte 8-4.
19:35: westbaystars: Yes, they do.
19:36: westbaystars: Nioka lines out to Sheets, two down.
19:36: westbaystars: Kawahara grabs a helmet and bat and will bat for himself.
19:36: westbaystars: Why?
19:36: westbaystars: Does Horiuchi-kantoku have some grudge against Nabetsu?
19:36: westbaystars: Kawahara does down swinging on three pitches, and the side is retired.
19:37: westbaystars: Giants go quietly in the fourth, and continue to trail 5-8.
19:37: westbaystars: ---
19:37: westbaystars: Top of Fifth
19:37: westbaystars: ---
19:38: westbaystars: I'm not sure what's with Yokohama and Hanshin this year.
19:38: westbaystars: Law of averages evening out?
19:38: MHStevie: Heh... seems like the psych advantage goes to the BayStars in that matchup this time around.
19:38: westbaystars: The Central League all together doesn't have anyone running away with it, or completely out of it.
19:39: westbaystars: Any team can be anywhere from first to last in any given week.
19:39: westbaystars: Maeda leads off against Kawahara, grounding out to Nioka in front of the second base bag.
19:39: westbaystars: One quick out.
19:40: westbaystars: Kurihara comes up next.
19:41: westbaystars: And he goes down on strikes on four pitches.
19:42: westbaystars: Hey, Kawahara seemed to find *it*. Maybe Horiuchi-kantoku isn't so mad after all.
19:42: westbaystars: Nomura comes up next.
19:43: westbaystars: And he fouls out to Nishi just left of the third base bag.
19:43: westbaystars: Hiroshima goes down in order for the second time this evening.
19:43: westbaystars: ---
19:43: westbaystars: Bottom of Fifth
19:43: westbaystars: ---
19:45: westbaystars: The Giants send up the top of their order in Nishi.
19:45: westbaystars: They've scored each time Nishi's reached base so far.
19:45: MHStevie: Kawahara'll need some supports from the offense to fully avoid Horiuchi-kantoku's wrath, most likely...
19:46: westbaystars: Yep. This is the productive part of the order so far.
19:47: westbaystars: And he lines the ball just inside the line up the left field side.
19:47: westbaystars: Nishi kicks first and heads into second.
19:48: westbaystars: He thinks about third before the ball gets back in from the corner.
19:48: westbaystars: Modasho for Nishi, three for three.
19:48: westbaystars: Shimizu, who tied the game once with a home run, comes up next.
19:49: westbaystars: The Giants have hit 122 home runs so far this season, a 300 home run pace for the year.
19:50: westbaystars: The Central League record is 226, I think it said. It's somewhere in that ball park.
19:51: westbaystars: With the count full, Feliciano's shoubu pitch is taken outside, ball four.
19:51: westbaystars: That was Feliciano's 85th pitch of the game, his ichi-gun debut.
19:51: westbaystars: He's still three outs away from a win.
19:52: westbaystars: After a short discussion on the mound, Rhodes steps in to face the rookie from the Dominican Republic.
19:52: westbaystars: And the first pitch is swung on in that huge upper cut by Rhodes.
19:52: westbaystars: But fouled back.
19:53: westbaystars: The next pitch is popped up, but not far.
19:53: westbaystars: Maeda comes over and takes the ball in in shallow left-center.
19:53: westbaystars: One out.
19:54: westbaystars: That brings up Takahashi Yoshinobu, who tied the game up earlier with a three run shot just over the left field fense.
19:55: westbaystars: He grounds the ball to second.
19:56: westbaystars: With Kurihara and LaRocca both going to play the ball, LaRocca fields it, and throws to Feliciano covering.
19:56: westbaystars: The throw looked a little high, but Feliciano has the height to get it just in front of Takahashi.
19:56: westbaystars: That's the second out of the inning, with runners moving up to second and third.
19:57: westbaystars: Petagine comes up next.
19:57: westbaystars: No, Kokubo comes up next. Peta-chan is on deck.
19:58: westbaystars: OK. Kokubo draws a walk to load the bases, and Peta-chan come up.
19:59: MHStevie: Did they pitch around Kokubo, or was that a natural walk?
19:59: westbaystars: Peta grounds the ball up the first base line. And the ball goes foul just before Kurihara can play it.
19:59: westbaystars: A natural walk, but nothing very challenging.
20:00: westbaystars: Peta swings, hattaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
20:00: westbaystars: Manrui home run!
20:00: westbaystars: No doubt about that off the bat.
20:00: MHStevie: WOW!!!
20:00: westbaystars: The Giants take the lead!
20:01: westbaystars: Petagine's 9th home run of the season is a big gyaku-ten grand slam home run.
20:01: westbaystars: The Giants take the lead 9-8.
20:01: westbaystars: Abe comes up next.
20:03: westbaystars: Feliciano strikes Abe out swinging.
20:03: westbaystars: But doesn't look very pleased with himself as he comes off the mound.
20:03: westbaystars: Again, an out comes one batter two late.
20:03: westbaystars: The Giants now have a 2-run, 3-run, and grand slam to account for nine runs.
20:04: westbaystars: And have the lead for the first time this game, 9-8.
20:04: westbaystars: ---
20:04: westbaystars: Top of Sixth
20:04: westbaystars: ---
20:06: westbaystars: Ishihara leads off grounding out to second. One out.
20:07: westbaystars: Arai comes up to pinch hit for Feliciano.
20:08: westbaystars: Arai is 2 for 10 (.200) as a pinch hitter so far this season.
20:09: westbaystars: He draws a one out walk against Kawahara on five pitches.
20:09: westbaystars: That brings us to the top of Hiroshima's order in Ogata.
20:10: westbaystars: Kawahara has trouble finding the strike zone, throwing two straight balls.
20:11: westbaystars: Of course, the last time Kawahara faced Ogata, Ogata hit a sayonara home run against him.
20:11: westbaystars: The next pitch is out-low, ball three.
20:12: westbaystars: And another outside pitch, Ogata walks on four pitches.
20:13: westbaystars: That sends the pitching coach out to the mound.
20:13: westbaystars: After a short talk with Kawahara nodding, the coach returns to the dugout.
20:13: MHStevie: Horiuchi-kantoku must be fuming...
20:13: westbaystars: Shima steps in.
20:14: westbaystars: Horiuchi-kantoku, from what the camera shows, looks quite calm.
20:14: westbaystars: After a foul ball on the first pitch, Kawahara throws ball one.
20:14: westbaystars: The next pitch is fouled off the left side. Well, Kawahara found the strike zone.
20:15: westbaystars: Shima is batting .486 with runner in scoring position, top in the Central League.
20:15: westbaystars: But not here.
20:15: westbaystars: He grounds the ball right back to Kawahara.
20:15: westbaystars: Kawahara turns, fires to second for one, the relay to first end the inning.
20:16: westbaystars: Kawahara pitched himself into a jam walking a pair, but got out of it.
20:16: westbaystars: Hiroshima still trails by a run, 8-9.
20:18: westbaystars: ---
20:18: westbaystars: Bottom of Sixth
20:18: westbaystars: ---
20:19: westbaystars: In to pitch for Hiroshima is Araki (I think).
20:19: westbaystars: No, Tamaki.
20:19: westbaystars: He faces Nioka to start off the inning.
20:20: westbaystars: The bottom of the Giants' order has been dormant this evening.
20:20: westbaystars: And Nioka keeps that up, grounding out to second.
20:20: westbaystars: Motoki comes up to pinch hit for Kawahara.
20:20: westbaystars: He lifts Tamaki's first pitch to right.
20:21: westbaystars: But right at Shima, who takes just a couple steps in to retire Motoki.
20:21: westbaystars: That brings up Nishi.
20:22: westbaystars: In see-saw games, the Giants are 18 and 18.
20:22: westbaystars: Nishi grounds the ball to Sheets at short.
20:22: westbaystars: Sheets throws to first, and the Giants are down in order.
20:23: westbaystars: More importantly, Nishi is denied his first scoring chance of the game.
20:23: westbaystars: (He's scored his first three at bats.)
20:23: westbaystars: At the end of sixe complete, the Giants lead 9-8.
20:23: westbaystars: ---
20:23: westbaystars: Top of Seventh
20:23: westbaystars: ---
20:24: westbaystars: Randel comes in to pitch for the Giants.
20:24: MHStevie: Greetings, habs!
20:24: MHStevie: This is one wild game going on...
20:26: westbaystars: More bad news for Walker yesterday, Habs-san.
20:26: westbaystars: 2 1/3rd innings, six runs given up, four of them earned.
20:27: habs: Greetings everyone.
20:27: westbaystars: LaRocca, who has hit 2-run and 3-run home runs this evening, leads off.
20:27: westbaystars: He lifts the ball to center, but not far.
20:28: westbaystars: Rhodes runs in and pulls the ball in on a sprint.
20:28: westbaystars: One out.
20:28: westbaystars: Sheets comes up next.
20:29: westbaystars: Sheets goes down swinging at a ball up high in the strike zone.
20:30: westbaystars: It was a fork ball that didn't drop? That's what the announcers are saying.
20:30: westbaystars: Maeda comes up next.
20:31: habs: Hope pete gets in a good groove soon.
20:33: westbaystars: Maeda grounds the ball up right of the second base bag and into center field. Base hit.
20:33: westbaystars: Two out runner on base, Kurihara comes up to the plate.
20:33: westbaystars: Kurihara is the number six batter in the line-up, for reference.
20:35: westbaystars: With two strikes and no balls, Kurihara protects the plate, fouling off a pitch quite a bit outside.
20:35: westbaystars: The next pitch is lifted deep to right.
20:35: westbaystars: Takahashi goes back, back,
20:35: westbaystars: to the warning track,
20:35: westbaystars: and pulls the ball in. The side is retired.
20:36: westbaystars: Going to the Giants' Lucky Seven, the Giants continue to lead 9-8.
20:36: westbaystars: ---
20:36: westbaystars: Bottom of Seventh
20:36: westbaystars: ---
20:38: westbaystars: Number two Shimizu leads off the Giants' Lucky Seven.
20:38: westbaystars: He homered in the first inning to tie the game at two at that point.
20:40: westbaystars: He grounds to second this time.
20:40: westbaystars: And dispite a fast sprint up the line, is out number one.
20:40: westbaystars: That brings up Rhodes.
20:41: westbaystars: Rhodes says that he'd like to meet Kintetsu in the Nihone Series at the end of the season.
20:41: westbaystars: *** That is, Nihon Series. ***
20:42: westbaystars: Rhodes hits the ball to left, but not far enough.
20:42: westbaystars: Maeda comes in to play the ball, and we have two outs.
20:43: westbaystars: That brings up Takahashi, who hit the big grand slam to take the lead back in the fifth inning.
20:43: MHStevie: Hmmm? I thought that was Peta-chan...
20:44: westbaystars: Oh, yea. You're right.
20:44: westbaystars: It was Takahashi who tied it up with the home run to left in the third.
20:44: westbaystars: Thanks for catching that.
20:44: MHStevie: Yeah, the 3-run shot...
20:44: westbaystars: The count goes full to Yoshinobu.
20:45: westbaystars: He pulls the ball to the right side, a slow dribbler.
20:45: westbaystars: LaRocca rushes in while Takahashi sprints to first.
20:45: westbaystars: The rushed throw to first *just* gets him.
20:45: westbaystars: The side is retired in order.
20:46: westbaystars: Not so lucky a seventh for either team.
20:46: westbaystars: But at the end of seven complete, the Giants continue to lead 9-8.
20:46: westbaystars: ---
20:46: westbaystars: Top of Eighth
20:46: westbaystars: ---
20:46: MHStevie: It's calmed down since the 5th...
20:47: westbaystars: Yea. And it seems to have sped up. I was afraid this would be a four hour marathon from the pace of the first five.
20:47: westbaystars: Randel remains on the mound for the Giants.
20:48: westbaystars: He faces Nomura to lead off the inning.
20:48: MHStevie: No kidding... I was surprised it was so early in the game when I got here...
20:49: westbaystars: Getting into the relief corps early tends to slow a game down.
20:49: westbaystars: Randel works the count full to Nomura.
20:50: westbaystars: They're already showing a countdown to 2,000 hits for the 16 year veteran at the plate.
20:50: westbaystars: 104 hits.
20:50: westbaystars: ... to go.
20:50: westbaystars: The next pitch is high and outside, ball four.
20:50: westbaystars: The lead-off runner is on.
20:50: westbaystars: And Yamamoto-kantoku sends out Fukuchi to run for Nomura.
20:51: westbaystars: He wants that tying run this late in the game at any cost.
20:51: westbaystars: Kimura squares to bunt, but pulls the bat back to swing away, and takes ball one.
20:52: westbaystars: Kimura is pinch hitting for Ishihara.
20:52: westbaystars: And he lays down a very good bunt to the third base side of the mound.
20:52: westbaystars: Randel's only play is first.
20:52: westbaystars: The sacrifice is successful.
20:53: westbaystars: Asai is announced as the pinch hitter for pitcher Tamaki.
20:53: westbaystars: And Horiuchi-kantoku comes out to change pitchers to Okajima.
20:55: westbaystars: Hmm. What I've seen of Okajima so far hasn't been that of a stopper.
20:55: westbaystars: Or am I thinking of Shimada?
20:56: westbaystars: Kimura Kazuyoshi comes up to pinch hit for the pinch hitter.
20:56: MHStevie: I seem to recall in one of these games you've covered Okajima looking less than impressive...
20:57: westbaystars: Right handed batter vs. left handed pitcher.
20:58: westbaystars: Kimura is 1 for 6 as a pinch hitter this season.
20:58: westbaystars: But 1 for 2 with runners in scoring position.
20:59: westbaystars: Okajima gets in a hole, one strike, three balls.
20:59: westbaystars: The next pitch is taken outside, ball four.
20:59: westbaystars: Runners at first and second, one out.
21:00: westbaystars: And we have another pinch runner come in, Higashide.
21:00: westbaystars: This is the all important gyaku-ten (go-ahead) run.
21:00: MHStevie: Trying to minimize the double play threat?
21:01: westbaystars: Horiuchi-kantoku is laughing in the dugout. What about? I don't know.
21:01: westbaystars: That may be it. And Ogata is a hard double play prospect.
21:01: westbaystars: But the matter is moot as Ogata lines the ball off the left field fense!
21:02: westbaystars: Shimizu mis-plays the bounce off the ball.
21:02: westbaystars: Run run in.
21:02: westbaystars: Higashide rounds thrid, scores!
21:02: westbaystars: Gyaku-ten!
21:02: westbaystars: Ogata has a two run double.
21:02: westbaystars: And Modasho.
21:02: westbaystars: Hiroshima now leads 10-9.
21:02: westbaystars: Shima comes up to the plate.
21:03: westbaystars: Yamamoto-kantoku deserves a lot of credit for putting two speedsters on the base paths there.
21:04: westbaystars: He grounds the ball back up the middle, just left of the mound.
21:04: westbaystars: Nioka plays the ball, allows the runner to go to third, and makes the easy out at first.
21:04: westbaystars: Two outs, runner moves to third.
21:04: westbaystars: LaRocca comes up to the plate.
21:05: westbaystars: He grounds the first pitch to Kokubo at third, who short bounds the ball one one hop.
21:05: westbaystars: The throw to first is in time, and the side is retired.
21:05: westbaystars: But Hiroshima takes the lead back on Ogata's big two run double.
21:05: westbaystars: Going to the bottom of the eighth, Hiroshima now leads 10-9.
21:05: westbaystars: ---
21:05: westbaystars: Bottom of Eighth
21:05: westbaystars: ---
21:06: habs: What a game!
21:06: westbaystars: Lots of scoring. And close. A very good combination.
21:07: westbaystars: (Although I do prefer close pitching duels, this is still very exciting.)
21:07: MHStevie: Yeah, this one's been crazy... Yomiuri's already come back three times in this game...
21:07: westbaystars: Sasaoka comes in to pitch for Hiroshima.
21:08: westbaystars: We start with number five batting Kokubo this inning.
21:08: westbaystars: Kokubo, Petagine, and Abe are all long ball threats.
21:08: westbaystars: Nishiyama comes in to catch.
21:09: westbaystars: LaRocca moves from second to first.
21:09: westbaystars: Higashide stays in the game at second, I think the announcer said.
21:10: westbaystars: This is Sasaoka's career 488th game.
21:10: westbaystars: Kokubo lifts a fly ball to right field.
21:11: westbaystars: Kimura, who comes into the game in right, makes the catch just in foul territory.
21:11: westbaystars: One out.
21:11: westbaystars: Petagine grounds the ball up the middle, base hit.
21:12: westbaystars: Peta-chan will be replaced with Suzuki at first as Horiuchi-kantoku tries to get the tying run.
21:13: westbaystars: The first pitch to Abe is taken for ball one, and Suzuki steals second by a good distance.
21:13: westbaystars: The next pitch is hit deep to right-center!
21:13: westbaystars: Off the fense!
21:14: westbaystars: The cussion play is sent back to the infield, with Abe standing on second and the ball game tied!
21:14: MHStevie: Back and forth we go!
21:14: westbaystars: Horiuchi's choice of pinch runners did the trick.
21:14: westbaystars: Nioka comes up.
21:15: westbaystars: The Kimura in right is Takuya, by the way, as Kazuyoshi pinch hit and was replaced with a pinch runner.
21:16: westbaystars: Nioka works the count full.
21:17: westbaystars: And walks.
21:17: westbaystars: Runners at first and second, one out.
21:17: westbaystars: Gotoh comes on to pinch hit.
21:17: westbaystars: Kitabeppu-pitching coach heads to the mound.
21:18: westbaystars: After just a couple of words he returns to the dugout.
21:18: westbaystars: Tempo of the game seems to have slowed.
21:18: westbaystars: Sasaoka gets two quick strikes on Gotoh.
21:19: westbaystars: Then throws a waste pitch high and outside, Gotoh not taking.
21:19: westbaystars: The next pitch is pulled to right.
21:20: westbaystars: Kimura Takuya throws a bullet to home, holding Abe at third.
21:20: westbaystars: The ball got past Nishiyama, though!
21:21: westbaystars: Sasaoka, backing up, played the ball off the wall perfectly, and Abe double throught trying to head home.
21:21: westbaystars: And that looks like all for Sasaoka.
21:21: westbaystars: Amano will be coming in to pitch to Nishi.
21:21: MHStevie: Are the bases loaded?
21:22: westbaystars: Yes, that loads the bases.
21:23: westbaystars: And we all know what happened last time the bases were loaded.
21:23: westbaystars: The infield is in.
21:24: westbaystars: The first pitch to Nishi is taken outside and low, ball one.
21:24: westbaystars: The next pitch is swung on and missed, 1-1.
21:25: westbaystars: The next pitch down the middle, and swung on and missed. Strike two.
21:25: westbaystars: Amano's fourth pitch is in the dirt outside.
21:25: westbaystars: Nishiyama blocks the ball with his chest protector.
21:26: westbaystars: It doesn't go far enough for Abe to even think about coming home.
21:26: westbaystars: The next pitch is lined to center.
21:26: westbaystars: Ogata catches the ball coming in, fires home, and nobody is moving.
21:26: westbaystars: The ball was a bit up the third base line, but Abe didn't challenge it.
21:26: westbaystars: Bases still loaded, but now with two outs.
21:27: MHStevie: Close one there...
21:27: westbaystars: We're once about at the "one more out" position that can be so hard.
21:27: westbaystars: And Shimizu is at the plate.
21:28: westbaystars: It wasn't really deep enough for try. The off line throw would have given him a chance, but there was no way to know.
21:29: westbaystars: Shimizu fouls off a two strike, one ball pitch to keep the count the same.
21:29: westbaystars: The next pitch is slapped to left, fair!
21:29: habs: Still have to make the play.
21:29: westbaystars: One run is in.
21:29: westbaystars: The ball is played out of the corner.
21:29: westbaystars: Two runs are in.
21:29: westbaystars: Shimizu has a timely two-run double.
21:30: westbaystars: And the Giants take a two run lead, 12-10.
21:30: westbaystars: A two run homer and two run double for Shimizu on the night.
21:30: westbaystars: That brings up an 0 for 3 Rhodes (with a walk).
21:30: westbaystars: Rhodes grounds the ball hard to first.
21:31: westbaystars: LaRocca fields the ball while falling back.
21:31: westbaystars: Tosses the ball to the covering Amano.
21:31: westbaystars: And the side is retire.
21:31: westbaystars: But again, one batter too late.
21:31: westbaystars: The Giants take a 12-10 lead right back.
21:31: westbaystars: ---
21:32: westbaystars: Top of Ninth
21:32: westbaystars: ---
21:32: MHStevie: Pressure's back on Hiroshima...
21:32: westbaystars: Last inning it was just one run they needed. Two runs down is harder.
21:33: MHStevie: And this is their last chance to tie or take the lead...
21:33: westbaystars: Sikorsky, the Giants' closer, comes in to pitch the ninth.
21:36: westbaystars: He throws two stright strikes to Sheets, then a waste pitch.
21:36: westbaystars: The next pitch is swung on and missed. One down.
21:36: westbaystars: Maeda comes up next.
21:36: westbaystars: And Sikorsky comes right after him with two quick strikes.
21:37: westbaystars: The next pitch is in the dirt. Waste pitch.
21:38: westbaystars: And he gets Maeda reaching at the next pitch way outside.
21:38: westbaystars: Two outs.
21:38: westbaystars: I just noticed, the Giants are up 13-10. I guess Shimizu's double cleared the bases.
21:39: MHStevie: Oh, did it? That's even worse for the Carp...
21:39: westbaystars: Kurihara comes up, and lines the ball to right.
21:40: westbaystars: Going toward the line, Yoshinobu reaches for the ball on a dead run and makes the catch,
21:40: westbaystars: just inside the right field foul line!
21:40: westbaystars: One run or three, that's the game.
21:40: MHStevie: Nice play!
21:41: westbaystars: It was a very fine play. But hardly noticed among the heavy hitting.
21:41: westbaystars: Shimizu is the hero of the game.
21:41: westbaystars: *****
21:41: westbaystars: Game Final
21:41: westbaystars: Hiroshima Toyo Carp 10 - 13 Yomiuri Giants
21:41: westbaystars: *****
21:42: MHStevie: Try as they might, the Carp couldn't keep that Yomiuri line-up silent...
21:43: habs: Last couple of games have been close.
21:43: MHStevie: Aside from one blowout, most of these Sunday games have been pretty close.
21:43: westbaystars: I like games that come down to the last inning or two like this.
21:44: westbaystars: It was great.
21:44: MHStevie: Yeah, these are really exciting...
21:44: westbaystars: One thing I need to say (as I often complain about it) is that NTV stayed with the game beyond the normal 9:24 cut off.
21:45: westbaystars: I normally watch on cable, where they show the game to the end.
21:45: westbaystars: But my wife wanted to watch something, sending me to the room without the descrambler.
21:46: westbaystars: She was ready to give up the TV at 9:23, but we kept going.
21:46: westbaystars: Changes appear to be happening with broadcasts.
21:46: MHStevie: That's nice for us that NTV stayed with it this time...
21:47: westbaystars: Well, nice for my wife.
21:48: MHStevie: Heh heh...
21:48: westbaystars: I've got a couple of weeks of scores I want to enter tonight.
21:48: MHStevie: OH --- I did want to mention this, as I didn't know what coverage this got in Japan...
21:48: westbaystars: So if there isn't anything else, I'll call it a night and post the transcript.
21:49: westbaystars: Yes?
21:49: MHStevie: I saw Ohtsuka pitching for the first time with San Diego...
21:49: MHStevie: Gave two innings of great relief and a save against the Yankees on Friday...
21:49: MHStevie: Including the first encounter between Godzilla and Ohtsuka...
21:50: habs: Good job again.
21:51: westbaystars: That was covered in Nikkan Sports. But I don't really pay much attention to the MLB page.
21:51: westbaystars: Ohtsuka is slowing getting the attention of the press here.
21:51: westbaystars: But Godzilla still appeared to get the bigger headlines in the meeting.
21:52: MHStevie: Yeah, great job once again, Westbay-san... we really appreciate it!
21:52: westbaystars: The tables on the page, though, focussed more on Ohtsuka.
21:52: westbaystars: Thanks to you both for joining me.
21:53: westbaystars: It's nice to have a live audience.
21:53: MHStevie: If Ohtsuka pitches more like he did Friday, they'll give him more attention...
21:53: MHStevie: All right, I'm wrapping up the radio show here, so hopefully I'll see you all again next week!
21:54: westbaystars: Until then, then.
21:54: westbaystars: Take care all.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Some rights reserved.
Is there going to be a GotW this Sunday? I'll be there if there is, but I haven't heard anything as of yet. If not, that's OK, too, but having missed two weeks I've been looking forward to it. ^_^
If there is, I'll see you there!
- Stevie