July 22nd Uezono v Utsumi - Tigers switch on the Magic Number

Tigers have now activated their Magic Number which is 46. A marvellous performance saw the Tigers take control of the game and seize it after they had been reeling from an appalling start. Giants error ridden performance certainly helped but the self belief of this side was the major factor in seizing the victory. Line scores

       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Giants 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4  6 3
Tigers 0 0 0 3 4 0 0 0 X 7 11 1

Starting lineups

1. Asai (Right)
2. Hirano (Centre)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Sekimoto (Second)
6. Takahashi (First)
7. Noguchi (Catcher)
8. Baldris (Third)
9. Uezono (Pitcher)

Giants
1. Suzuki (Centre)
2. Kimura (Second)
3. Ogasawara (First)
4. Ramirez (Left)
5. Abe (Catcher)
6. Furuki (Third)
7. Shimizu (Right)
8. Sakamoto (Short)
9. Utsumi (Pitcher)

After Iwata's undistinguished performance the night before Okada, no doubt, hoped for a better one from Uezono. He was to be disappointed - Uezono was awful. Giants first innings and he walked Suzuki. Kimura grounded out but a Baldris error allowed him to reach first safely. Then Uezono dead balled Ogasawara to load the bases. Ramirez hit 1-0 Giants, bases loaded, still no outs. Abe struck out but then Furuki hit driving in another two runs 3-0 Giants - runners on first and second. Shimizu was next and he hit into a double play and the innings was over. Hardly an auspicious start. It got even less auspicious as Utsumi limited the Tigers first to a Toritani hit. The Giants second was marginally better. Sakamoto hit a two base along the third baseline. One out later Suzuki hit a two base to centre and even though the throw from Hirano was good Sakamoto was safely home 4-0 Giants. At this stage it looked like the Giants would run away with the game. They were in control and scoring freely. Uezono got the final two outs of the innings but was pulled at the end of it. Tigers second and Takahashi walked with one out. Noguchi hit and Tigers had runners on first and second. Baldris flew out to centre which moved Takahashi round to third but wasn't really what was needed. Yano (replacement catcher) flew out and the innings died. The beginning of the third and Giants were very satisified. Tigers starter had been knocked out of the game, they had a commanding lead and they had the momentum. Okada brought on Abe with a simple task - to stop the scoring. Abe responded superbly in his best pitching display of the season. Ramirez grounded out and then Abe struck out Abe (couldn't resist it). The third batter Furuki grounded out and the innings was over. Utsumi though was still in control and only allowed a hit to Hirano which went nowhere.

Abe returned for the Giants fourth. Once again he blocked any progress, Shimizu and Sakamoto flew out to right and then Utsumi grounded out to Abe. This display gave the Tigers breathing space. Sekimoto was the lead off for the Tigers fourth. He walked and then Takahashi hit to right. Shimizu messed up the take and the ball rolled past him. Sekimoto had stopped on second but on seeing this took off for home as the Giants tried to get the ball to Abe in time - too late!. Sekimoto slid home and the score was 4-1 Giants. Okada then brought in Shoda (pinch hitter and replacement right). He hit a grounder to Ogasawara who let the ball spill out of his glove and Shoda was safe on first with Takahashi on third. Baldris was next and he drove Takahashi in with a centre hit 4-2 Giants. Yano followed and hit to left between short and third - Shoda home 4-3 Giants, Baldris on second. Baldris advanced too far off second though and Abe saw this. His throw was good and Baldris was tagged out. Utsumi took heart from the first out and struck out Asai and Hirano to end the innings. But a good innings for Tigers who had taken the best possible advantage of some dreadful mistakes by the Giants fielders.

Tigers still needed to hold the Giants scoreless to build on their fightback. Okada decided to call up Egusa to pitch the fifth and his was a vital innings providing the bridge between Abe and the elite relief of Watanabe, Kubota, Williams and Fujikawa. Egusa was superb as well. Suzuki and Kimura grounded out and then Ogasawara struck out. Tigers were really in with a chance. Utsumi returned for the Tigers fifth and got Toritani to ground out. Then Ogasawara made his second error of the night. Once again he spilled a little ground ball which allowed Kanemoto to make first safely. Utsumi was shattered - Sekimoto hit, runners on first and second. Then Takahashi hit and Kanemoto was home 4-4 scores level. Shoda hit and the bases were loaded and exit Utsumi to the sound of wildly celebrating Tigers fans. Giants new pitcher was Ochi who faced Hiyama (pinch hitter). He grounded out to second driving in another run 5-4 Tigers and driving the other two runners to second and third. This brought up Yano with two outs and with a hint of despiration (as he later said) he placed the ball between right and centre to drive in two more runs 7-4 Tigers and the game had been turned on its head. Akahoshi (pinch hitter ) flew out and the innings ended. Here Okada rang the changes, Akahoshi moved to centre, Hirano to second and Sekimoto to third. Shoda had already taken the right field position. The Giants sixth was quiet as Watanabe got everyone to ground out. Tigers sixth was also quiet and Ochi was more in control than the fifth.

Kubota pitched the Giants seventh and gave up a leadoff hit to Tani (replacement right) but then struck out the next too batters (including Nioka who got a resounding boo from the crowd no doubt connected with his scandal) and got Suzuki with a ground out. Uehara kept the Tigers quiet in their seventh and then likewise Williams in the Giants eighth. Tigers eighth saw Fujita and he walked Akahoshi with two outs. Hirano then hit driving Akahoshi round to third but Toritani was a bit too keen to hit and grounded out to first. The Giants ninth saw the first two outs fall easily but then Tani had his second hit of the night. Fujikawa was calm and struck out Sakamoto to end the match. Tigers victory.

A magnificent victory in which the Giants hsd crumbled in the face of a determined Tigers side. Okada's choices and changes had been excellent and all had done exactly what was expected of them. The victory went to Egusa and Fujikawa picked up his 31st save. Both Abe and Egusa joined Yano for the hero interview. For both this was their first hero interview and their contribution had been vital.