July 8th Sugiyama v Lewis - Sugiyama comes, sees, fails

This game represented an improved performance on the night before - no one made any errors but the team still didn't care and Lewis limited them to three hits. Sugiyama was dismal as expected and lasted four innings before being mercifully removed. Nohmi was surprisingly used in relief and was very effective over his three innings. The offense was as dead as the night before and there isn't much that can be done. Away games now stand at 9 wins and 24 losses (with three ties). I wrote about rebuilding but the young talented players who need playing time are for the most part languishing on the second team. The rotation needs to be rebuilt but for this to happen there needs to be an overhaul of the coaching team and fresh ideas brought in. It's almost as if the reason we are seeing the same old faces is because no one has any clue what to do. Arai was dropped down to six as a punishment for his poor performance but it didn't make any difference and we also saw Shimizu as catcher. Once again no change, these actions all seem to be irrelevant but it is the travelling fans that suffer. Game score

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

Starting lineups

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

Carp
1. Akamatsu (Centre)
2. Higashide (Second)
3. Phillips (Left)
4. Kurihara (First)
5. McClain (Third)
6. Soyogi (Short)
7. Suenaga (Right)
8. Ishihara (Catcher)
9. Lewis (Pitcher)

Tigers first would be Lewis' worst innings. Perhaps if the side had shown more application they could have scored more but this is a big perhaps. Hirano started the innings with a hit, he is a better leadoff than Baldris and more active. He was bunted to second by Sekimoto and then Katsuragi hit nicely to left and Hirano hustled home 1-0 Tigers runner on first. Then everytbing froze. Kanemoto grounded out and Brazell flew out to end the innings. Sugiyama also started with a hit. Higashide bunted the runner, Akamatsu, to second and so far everything was conventional. Phillips ground out took Akamatsu to third and this brought Kurihara to the plate. He hit the first home run for the new Niigata stadium, a two run shot 2-1 Carp and the Tigers lead had disappeared in smoke. McClain followed up with a hit and then Soyogi had another two base hit off Tigers pitching. Runners on second and third. Suenaga walked to load the bases but Ishihara struck out looking, probably surprised to receive a pitch in the zone and the innings was over. Tigers second started with a hit to Arai. This was also the last we would see of base runners for the Tigers in the game and it didn't last long as Toritani then hit into a double play. Shimizu flew out off his first pitch and that was the second innings. In Carp's second Akamatsu hit but nothing came of this and the score remained the same. Tigers third was a 1-2-3 innings. Carp's third brought McClain to the plate and his second pitch was deposited over the fence, also to left for another home run 3-1 Carp. The rest of the innings was quiet.

Tigers fourth saw Lewis get into his stride and he struck out all three batters he faced swinging. Sugiyama returned for the Carp's fourth. With two out Akamatsu hit to centre. However, when he tried to steal second he was thrown out and the innings ended. After this it was all down to the pitchers. Sugiyama had thrown 86 pitches in his four innings and shown no improvement in control over his last starts. He was pulled and once again has demonstrated an unsuitability for the top team. One wonders why there is an obsession to waste games by taking a look at Sugiyama? There is ample evidence that he cannot hack it at this level anymore and whilst players need to be given chances there must be a limit. Every start for Sugiyama prevents a younger newer pitcher from getting a start. He doesn't have potential but they do. Tigers fifth was 1-2-3 with one strike out. Carp's fifth was also 1-2-3, Tsutsui pitching and doing well. Lewis got everyone to fly out in Tigers sixth and was untroubled by any irritation such as batters hitting. Nohmi took the mound for Carp's sixth and showed some of his best form striking out McClain looking and Suenaga swinging.

Tigers seventh was a progression of weak shots, need I mention 1-2-3 again. Carp's seventh actually had the last hit of the game. After Nohmi had struck out the first two batters he faced, Akamatsu hit. Higashide though grounded out to second and the innings went nowhere. Tigers eighth was the same as innings 2-7, pinch hitters did nothing and the clean up was anonymous. In Carp's eighth Nohmi struck out the three batters he faced. Finally to Tigers ninth and the game mercifully moved to its conclusion. Lewis retuned for the final innings and once again retired all three batters he faced. Carp victory

This was a very fast game 2 hours and 16 minutes. Lewis once he was past the first innings had completely dominated. He had thrown 95 pitches given up three hits and one run with no walks. A dominating performance. Tigers had really done nothing, Nohmi had pitched three very fine innings but this is what is so frustrating about him. He has the potential but cannot realise it consistently. Tigers rotation is a mess and needs urgent work. Tigers themselves need to win the away games but for some reason are not doing so. Maybe they are unhappy with their accommodation? Still it is the job of the coaches and manager to motivate and prepare the team adequately and this they are not doing.