Ohka Wins First in 16 Years

The Yokohama BayStars hold on to their 4th place position for another day as they defeat the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 4-1 behind the pitching of returning (after 12 years abroad) Tomokazu Ohka.

Two things went right for the BayStars this evening at Jingu:

1. Shuichi Murata went 3 for 4 with both a timely and a solo home run, and
2. Ohka got his second career win in Japan, the first since his freshman year of 1994.

First of all was the offense. As mentioned, Murata drove in the first run of the game with a 1-out single in the 3rd inning, a desperately needed timely for the cleanup batter who hasn't been cleaning up much of anything so far this season. A ground out later, it was Jose Castillo who came through with a 2-run single to left to put the BayStars up 3-0. Murata added an insurance run with a solo blast to lead off the top of the 5th inning. That was Murata's 5th home run of the year.

And then there was the game hero, returning to the club he left after the 1996 season with a 1 win and 2 loss career record that spanned just 4 seasons with a 5.65 ERA. Ohka seemed to find himself pitching for various teams in North America, surprising many in Japan. It goes to show just what a radical change of scenery can do for some people.

Over his Japan career, Ohka started only 2 of the 15 games he played in his rookie year of 1994, winning 1 and losing 1 with a 4.18 ERA over 28 innings of work. He started 1 game in each of 1995 and '96, didn't play at 1-gun in '97, then threw middle relief in just two games for the championship 1998 Yokohama BayStars before getting his release and crossing the Pacific where he literally became a new pitcher.

Back with his former team, Ohka is now a starter. And this evening was his first start at 1-gun since his return to Japan. So, let's check the line on him tonight: 6 1/3rd innings, throwing 90 pitches, allowing 6 hits (including a solo home run by Shinichi Takeuchi) while striking out 2 and walking 1. Shigeki Ushida took over and threw 1 1/3rd while Shun Yamaguchi closed the final 1 1/3rd innings. (Ushida's big hanging curve ball struck out Tsuyoshi Ueda looking - Ueda looking bad. That was probably my favorite pitch of the game, taking the wind out of the Swallows' wings just as they thought they were going to take off.)

Welcome back Ohka. I look forward to many more wins in the season(s) ahead.