May 24th Fukuhara v Hiroyuki Kobayashi - No game

This was a no game which did see some action but the rain at Koshien eventually won. Hirano started instead of Fujimoto, a definite improvement and Akahoshi was rested. Fukuhara wasn't at his best this game but gave up no runs and the game ended scoreless. Box scores

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

Starting lineups

Marines
1. Nishioka (Short)
2. Fukuura (First)
3. Saburo (Centre)
4. Iguchi (Second)
5. Ohmatsu (Right)
6. Satozaki (Catcher)
7. Burnham Jr (Left)
8. Imae (Third)
9. Hiroyuki Kobayashi (Pitcher)

Tigers
1. Hirano (Second)
2. Sekimoto (First)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Arai (Third)
6. Lin (Right)
7. Sakurai (Centre)
8. Kanoh (Catcher)
9. Fukuhara (Pitcher)

Marines first started quietly with Fukuhara retiring the three batters he faced in order. Hirano started the Tigers first with a lead off bunt hit to first and beat the field to the sack. Sekimoto bunted him to second and gradually it looks like Tigers are falling into the same conservative pattern as last season. One out later Kanemoto walked to set up runners on first and second but Arai flew out to centre to end the innings. If Marines first had been quiet, the second was quite a bit more busy. Iguchi led off with a hit and Ohmatsu followed with another. Both runners were bunted to second and third but Burnham Jr grounded out to first and the runners couldn't advance. Fukuhara then walked Imae to load the bases and to get at Kobayashi who duly flew out to end the innings. Tigers second was quiet with the batters falling in order. In Marines third Saburo hit with two out but nothing came of this. Tigers third was also quiet with the batters falling in order.

Fukuhara struck out the first two batters he faced in the Marines fourth but then Burnham Jr hit. However, Imae grounded out and the innings was over. Kobayashi struck out Toritani in the Tigers fourth and then with Kanemoto at the plate the heavens opened. It was clear that the rain wasn't going to let up and the game was abandoned. No game.

Fukuhara had thrown 80 pitches but had kept the Marines off the scoreboard. Tigers had only generated one hit but this might have changed when they got through to the Marines relief. This game will be replayed on May 26th, the day before the series against Seibu.