April 20th Sugiyama v Masubuchi - Kanemoto closes in

Kanemoto reached his first milestone of the year (2,000) hits a week ago and this match started his pursuit of the next one (400 home runs). He now has two to go. After his last two starts were rained off Sugiyama started the match instead of Fukuhara. Line scores

         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Tigers   2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 10 0
Swallows 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2  5 0

Starting lineups
1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Arai (First)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Katsuragi (Right)
6. Toritani (Short)
7. Yano (Catcher)
8. Sekimoto (Third)
9. Sugiyama (Pitcher)

Swallows
1. Iihara (Left)
2. Tanaka (Second)
3. Aoki (Centre)
4. Guiel (Right)
5. Takeuchi (First)
6. Miyamoto (Short)
7. Kawabata (Third)
8. Fukukawa (Catcher)
9. Masubuchi (Pitcher)

The deciding match of the series and Tigers leadoff Akahoshi started well hitting a two base off his third pitch. Neither Hirano or Arai could do anything to exploit this and Akahoshi remained on second as Kanemoto came to the plate. He launched his first pitch into the left stand for a home run 2-0 Tigers. Katsuragi flew out to end the innings. Swallows responded immediatley. Tanaka hit and this brought up Aoki who also had a two base. Runners on second and third with one out. Next up Guiel who hit a deep sacrifice fly to left. Tanaka tagged up and was home 2-1 Tigers and Aoki moved up to third. The final batter Takeuchi grounded out to Hirano at second to end the innings with a slim Tigers lead. Next innings and Toritani hit, Yano and Sekimoto both grounded out to third and it looked like Swallows would exit the innings with ease. After all the next batter was Sugiyama. He walked and then Akahoshi hit again to load the bases. Hirano though flew out to extinguish the challenge. Sugiyama retired the Swallows in order striking out Kawabata and Fukukawa to end the second. The third started with an Arai ground out and a Kanemoto hit but nothing came of this. In the bottom things were a bit more exciting.

Iihara had a two base hit. Then Tanaka was dead balled to put runners on first and second with one out. Aoki grounded to first and Arai went for the double play. They got Tanaka but Aoki was too fast and was safe on first. Runners on first and third with two outs. Next Aoki stole second and Sugiyama faced Guiel. He managed to strike him out to end the innings. Tigers fourth involved a Sekimoto hit but no one made any use of it. The Swallows fourth saw another dead ball, this time Miyamoto. Once again nothing came of it. The Tigers fifth saw Toritani's second hit but Yano grounded into a double play to end the innings. On to the sixth and Okada had decided no more Sugiyama. He had pitched 77 pitches and given up one run on three hits. He hadn't given up any walks but had managed two dead balls. A creditable performance except for the dead balls. Then came Egusa who gave up a hit to Aoki. Aoki then stole second for the second time but Egusa was able to get the next two batters, Guiel and Noguchi (replacement first). Egusa was replaced by Watanabe (nice to see Okada being proactive and ringing the changes) who walked Miyamoto but got the Swallows pinch hitter Manaka to fly out to end the danger.

The Tigers seventh started quietly enough Sekimoto flew out and Ford (replacement right) grounded out to Kawabata. Two out no runners and at this stage Takada (Swallow's kantoku) decided to switch pitchers. Satoh was summoned from the bullpen and promptly walked Akahoshi and Hirano. Suddenly Tigers had runners on first and second. Takada concluded that maybe Satoh wasn't a good idea and summoned Hanada. Next up was Arai who hit to left 3-1 Tigers. Then Kanemoto who hit to right 4-1 Tigers. Hiyama was summoned to pinch hit with runners on first and third (Arai once again showing his speed round the bases) but grounded out to second to end the innings. Sometimes, your changes don't go according to plan. The Swallows seventh brought on Kubota. He has been in a rather generous mode of late and last night was no exception. His first pitch to Fukuchi (pinch hitting and replacement left) was dispatched into the right stand for a home run 4-2 Tigers. Then Kubota walked Hatekeyama but got the next three batters to ground out and get - with a no doubt rather relieved Kubota - out of the innings. Takada went with Matsuoka for the Tigers eighth and this one worked - he retired the side in order.

Kubota pitched the eighth and seemed to have got over his generous fit as the Swallows also tumbled in order. Then to the ninth and the leadoff Ford hit. Akahoshi sacrificed him to second and then Hirano grounded out to first allowing Ford to make third. Next batter Arai was dead balled and this brought up Kanemoto who flew out to Aoki to end the innings. Then to the ninth and Fujikawa. No generosity here, Fujikawa blew the Swallows away on 11 pitches, all strikes, all strike outs for his 10th save and Tigers seventh series in a row.

A nice victory against a good side. Okada was furious about the dead ball on Arai though. He considered it deliberate and no doubt had words to say. Whilst Sugiyama had dead balled two these had been because his control had not been good. As far as Okada was concerned the dead ball by Matsuoka was uncalled for. Still, Tigers continue their progress and at the moment look a well balanced and dangerous side.