Tanishige Ruins Randolph's Night

Stephen Randolph had fully recovered from what ever ailed him in that 7 run first two innings he threw against the Giants last week. In fact, Randolph shut down the first 13 Dragons he faced on Wednesday night in order at Yokohama Stadium. He appeared to tire a bit in the fifth and sixth innings. I would have blamed it on the rain, but he actually appeared to be pitching better when the rain was falling harder in the early innings. Still, he got out of both innings unscathed.

But it was the fateful seventh inning that was his downfall. With one out, former BayStar Motonobu Tanishige launched a ball into the light Chunichi fans braving the rain in left to give the Dragons a 1-0 lead. With the ineptness of the BayStars bats, that was all they needed, despite scoring another run in the ninth off of Kentaro Kuwahara, the final being 2-0.

Tanishige on the season is now batting .400 against Yokohama (2 for 5) with 2 home runs, 3 RBIs, and 3 walks leading to an OBP of .625 and slugging percentage of 1.600. I know that I harp on about Tanishige killing the BayStars often, but it looks like he's picking up where he left off last year. A .208 hitter for 2009 with 9 home runs and a .322 slugging, against Yokohama he hit .283 with 3 home runs and a .491 slugging percentage. On Tuesday night I commented that Tanishige clearly likes Yokohama, so why doesn't he come back? Of stadiums where he's had 10 or more at bats since 2007, Tanishige is hitting .345 (.575 slugging) at Yokohama Stadium, the highest for him of any stadium in Japan.

Then Deanna reminded me that he's not the young stud I remember him being from the late 1990s. But losing him was the beginning of the end of the pitching staff, which has been lost during the decade he's been gone. I know, I know. But I still can't help it as he just keeps on beating us, over and over.

Well, that's the way the ball bounces. Like last season, Randolph puts in a great game. But the 'Star bats are all but silent, and Tanishige strikes again.