June 26th Andoh v Walrond - A win is a win

The negative tone is set to continue for this game at least. It was a win but not one that showed any great ability or improvement in the Tigers. They were poor but the BayStars were simply worse. Fielding was hilariously second rate and despite what I have to say about Okada this level of performance would never have been tolerated under him. Pitching was also pathetic with Andoh throwing some gems but mostly dispensing different varieties of rubbish. He was marginally better than Walrond who didn't have his best night in BayStars colours (they really do need someone of the calibre of Valentine). Batting was the one bright spot but then how would it fare against a team with better pitching or against Miura? Brazell continues to shine and Toritani was again like his old self. Let's hope he continues. Box scores.

          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
BayStars  1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 10 2
Tigers    2 1 0 2 1 2 0 1 X 9 15 2

Starting lineups

BayStars
1. Yoshimura (Right)
2. Fujita (Second)
3. Uchikawa (Left)
4. Murata (Third)
5. Saeki (First)
6. Naitoh (Centre)
7. Ishikawa (Short)
8. Hosoyamada (Catcher)
9. Walrond (Pitcher)

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

Andoh started by striking out Yoshimura but this was probably the only bright point of the innings. Fujita hit to left where Arai made a superb diving stop but couldn't prevent Fujita from reaching first safely. Uchikawa hit to right to set up runners on first and second. This brought up Murata who also hit to right driving in Fujita 1-0 BayStars, runners on first and second. Saeki though struck out and Naitoh grounded out. How would Walrond hold this lead? Well he didn't. Akahoshi hit to left straight into the glove of Murata who dropped the ball letting the Tigers centre reach first. This amazingly was ruled a hit and not an error. Sekimoto after having messed around with bunts and the like hit to centre causing Walrond to lose his glove and Tigers had runners on first and second. Arai grounded out but moved Akahoshi to third and then Kanemoto walked to load the bases (he would have a poor match). Next batter Brazell who got jammed up and hit a pop ball which landed safely beyond Ishikawa's dive driving in two runs 2-1 Tigers, runnerrs on first and second. Sakurai, who also had a poor night then hit into a double play and end the innings but Tigers had established a nice lead. Andoh then dominated the BayStars second as all three batters grounded out. In Tigers second Toritani walked and then stole second (Hosoyamada would be abysmal behind the plate and his throwing was weak and ill-directed). Kanoh hit to centre driving in Toritani 3-1 Tigers, runner on first. He then stole second as well and made third on Andoh's ground out but Akahoshi also grounded out to end the innings. Still a nice lead had been established. This lasted as long as it took for the top of BayStars order to get to the plate which was basically Yoshimura as lead off. He hit but then Fujita hit weakly back at Andoh who dropped the ball allowing runners on first and second, a costly error as it would turn out. Uchikawa grounded out but moved the runners to second and third. Murata then hit straight at Sekimoto who was only able to get the out at first, Yoshimura was home 3-2 Tigers, runner on third. Still, only one out needed. This didn't come as Andoh continued to pitch poorly and Saeki hit nicely along the first baseline for a two base hit 3-3 scores tied, runner on second. Naitoh grounded out to end the innings but Andoh had blown the lead. In Tigers third Kanemoto walked again but nothing came of this and the innings was scoreless.

The BayStars fourth was probably the most farcical of the innings. Andoh got the first two batters and then faced Walrond as his third batter. His first pitch was so bad that Walrond hit it nicely to left, placing it perfectly. Kanemoto fumbled and then threw to second but so poorly, it missed Sekimoto and went to first. Walrond though remained rooted on second when a run to third was a distinct possibility . Andoh then walked Yoshimura to set up runners on first and second but fortunately for Tigers, Fujita grounded out to end the innings. The Tigers fourth continued in this farcical vein. Toritani was leadoff and he hit the ball straight at Walrond who tried to avoid. The ball hit the pitcher's foot without touching the ground and then ballooned up to a rather surprised Fujita at second who took the catch for the first out. Next batter Kanoh got a sitter for his second pitch and hammered it nicely into the left gaia for a solo home run 4-3 Tigers. Andoh then walked as Walrond failed to locate his pitches. Akahoshi bunted and reached first due to a poor throw. This was ruled an error at which Akahoshi was furious. However, it was a dismal throw and the ruling was right. At this point it was exit Walrond and Takasaki took the mound. He gave up a hit to Sekimoto to load the bases and faced Arai. He flew out to right but not very deep and the throw was good. Andoh though set off and lumbered in sliding safely onto home 5-3 Tigers and nice work by the Tigers pitcher, runners on second and third. Kanemoto though snatched at a pitch and flew out weakly to first to end the innings. Andoh returned for BayStars fifth and showed some of his best pitching striking out Murata and Saeki to preserve the lead. Takasaki continued for the Tigers fifth and was just as ineffective as before. He started by giving up a hit to Brazell. Sakurai then struck out looking in what was a travesty of a decision - he left a ball well outside the zone which the plate umpire ruled was the third strike. Toritani grounded out but moved Brazell to second but it was looking like BayStars would contain the threat successfully. Kanoh was walked deliberately to get at Andoh but Mayumi decided that he would go with a pinch hitter and Takasaki faced Katsuragi. He hit his fourth pitch to short, bouncing out over Ishikawa's vainly outstretched glove for a hit into left. Brazell headed for home and it was 6-3 Tigers, runners on first and third. Akahoshi also hit to third but this time Ishikawa was able to get the ball for the out. End of innings. For BayStars sixth Mayumi chose Egusa who was in devastating form striking out the three batters he faced. Tigers sixth was pitched by Ushida who really was no improvement on the other two pitchers. Sekimoto led off with a two base hit. Arai walked but Kanemoto flew out to centre. This did have the effect of moving Sekimoto to third and when Brazell hit to right the Tigers second was safely home 7-3 Tigers, runners on first and second. Sakurai continued in strike out mode but Toritani hit again, this time to left and drove in another run 8-3 Tigers and the game was in the bag. This time Kanoh flew out and no further score resulted.

Egusa returned for BayStars seventh and once again was totally unhitable striking out the next three batters. For Tigers seventh the pitcher was Yokoyama who gave up a hit to Akahoshi. Murata made a valiant attempt to stop the hit but was a bit too late. Akahoshi though strayed off first too far and was amazingly thrown out - a nice piece of work by Yokoyama. Sekimoto flew out and the innings was over. BayStars eighth was pitched by Atchison - no mistake here, Mayumi wanted this game. He started with a hit to Uchikawa but then a Murata double play ended that opportunity. Saeki hit to left but then Ohnishi (replacement centre) grounded out to second to end the innings. So to Tigers eighth, Arai led off with a hit to right but Kanemoto messed up again. Brazell though hit to right (his fourth of the evening) and was pinch run for by Hirano. Sakurai struck out still leaving runners on first and second. Toritani though was back in hitting mode and his right hit drove in another run 9-3 Tigers, runners on first and seconed. Kanoh grounded out and the innings was over. Watanabe took BayStars ninth with a six run lead. He gave up a hit to the otherwise ineffective Ishikawa. Two groundouts took Ishikawa to third and then Watanabe faced Yoshimura. He hit to left neatly bisecting Toritani and Arai and driving in a Ishikawa 9-4 Tigers. Nishi (replacement second) followed and he hit to centre where Akahoshi picked the ball off his calves for the game ending catch. Tigers victory.

Andoh picked up the win without pitching particularly well. Players who had shone were Egusa in pitching. Brazell, Kanoh and Toritani all showed good batting, Toritani having a nice birthday. Despite this being a nice win one has to remember that it is against the bottom team and an unimpressive pitching lineup. The impression that one was watching the fifth and sixth placed teams was very strong throughout the match and this needs to be born in mind when Tigers face the stronger teams.