August 19th Iwata v Tateyama - Iwata throws it all away

Swallows didn't really win this match but were gifted it. They only had a hand in one of their four runs whilst the others were due to Iwata's abysmal pitching and Tigers hitting the self-destruct button. Worryingly for Tigers Brazell had to be replaced in the second innings because of left shoulder pain. He is due to be examined today. Lim once again showed what an unpleasant individual he is, dead balling Akahoshi and Swallows coach Takada needs to have a word with him. All in all an unsatisfactory evening for Tigers but they only have themselves to blame for the abysmal pitching and fielding they showed. Scores

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

Starting lineups

Tigers
1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Kanemoto (Left0
5. Arai (Third)
6. Brazell (First)
7. Katsuragi (Right)
8. Kanoh (Catcher)
9. Iwata (Pitcher)

Swallows
1. Keizoh Kawashima (Short)
2. Fukuchi (Left)
3. Aoki (Centre)
4. Hatakeyama (Third)
5. Iihara (Right)
6. Noguchi (First)
7. Hiroyasu Tanaka (Second)
8. Aikawa (Catcher)
9. Tateyama (Pitcher)

Both pitchers would make lots of mistakes and both teams would strand runners with gay abandon. Tigers were first to do so. Akahoshi started by flying out and then Hirano hit nicely to right for a two base. Neither Toritani or Kanemoto showed the faintest signs of being able to convert him and this would be the form for the evening. Swallows first saw Iwata out of sorts and spraying hits around like there was no tomorrow. With one out Fukuchi hit to right. Then Aoki hit to left, Hatakeyama hit to third to load the bases and Swallows looked to be in a good position. Iwata then dead balled Iihara oshidashi 1-0 Swallows bases loaded. The next batter Noguchi hit into a double play demonstrating that Tigers weren't the only ones who had trouble driving home runners. However, the Swallows had the vital first score. Tigers bounced back immediately. With one out Brazell hit to right but here picked up his problem and was replaced by Sakurai (who would field right with Katsuragi moving over to take first). Katsuragi also hit to right and this brought up Kanoh. He hasn't been too successful with runners on base but tonight was different. He hit to centre driving in Sakurai 1-1 scores tied runners on first and second. Iwata bunted the runners to second and third but here Akahoshi failed grounding out to short to end the innings.. Swallows second was quiet as Iwata settled down and retired the batters in order. With Hirano out in Tigers third, Toritani hit. Kanemoto fell but Arai hit to set up runners on first and second. Here Arai strayed too far off second and was picked off for the final out and that innings was over. Once again the Swallows innings was quiet - Iwata had established a nice rythym and Kanoh was calling well.

Tateyama ran into a bit more trouble in Tigers fourth. He walked Katsuragi and then Kanoh hit a very nice two base and Katsuragi who is surprisingly fast around the bases charged round to make home 2-1 Tigers runner on second. Neither Iwata nor Akahoshi were able to convert Kanoh though. Hatakeyama led off Swallows fourth with a hit but this was immediately wiped out by a Iihara double play. Iwata then struck out Noguchi looking to end the innings. Tigers fifth was also quiet with the batters falling in order. Iwata's control problems returned in Swallows fith though. He gave up a two base hit to Tateyama which should never have happened. He then dead balled Kawashima before pulling himself together to get the final out. Arai led off Tigers sixth with his second hit of the night and Sakurai followed with a hit to left. Tateyama was faced with runners on first and second with no outs. He struck out Katsuragi and then Kanoh lined out to short which also caught Arai off base and the innings was over. Swallows sixth was quiet and it looked like Iwata was pitching nicely now.

Tateyama did well in Tigers seventh retiring the batters in order and Iwata returned for Swallows seventh. This was a reasonable decision as he had thrown only 84 pitches and given up one run. He had been mostly secure and it didn't look like Swallows would be able to score off him. However, this innings was a farce in the making. It started with Noguchi's lead off hit to centre which in itself was nothing. Tanaka bunted to Iwata who tried to take out the runner going for second and failed with the result that Swallows had runners on first and second. Aikawa then bunted to third but Arai messed this up and the bases were loaded. So from a non threatening situation Tigers were now in trouble. Yoshimoto grounded out first pitch to second but no run resulted. Then Iwata dead balled Kawashima for the second time that evening oshidashi 2-2 scores tied, bases loaded. Fukuchi flew out to right and the runner on third was home 3-2 Swallows, runners on second and third and the only run the Swallows had any direct influence on. Iwata next released a wild pitch which took another runner home 4-2 Swallows runner on third. Finally Aoki grounded out to end the innings but what a mess. Tigers eighth was pitched by Igarashi who gave up a hit to Kanemoto. He then dead balled Arai and gave up another hit to Sakurai to load the bases with one out. Luckily for him Katsuragi hit into a double play to end the innings. Iwata returned for Swallows eighth and gave up a two out hit to Noguchi again but there was to be no repeat of the previous innings and the final out was easily obtained. Finally, the Tigers ninth and the repulsive Lim (who even so is not as bad as Yan). With two out he dead balled Akahoshi but Hirano failed to convert and the innings was over. Swallows victory.

Tigers had self destructed and really without the seventh innings Swallows had not looked like they could win the game. Tateyama was proficient and certainly kept them in the game but they lacked the wherewithall to score. Fielding and pitching had been second class and even Kanoh couldn't prevent Iwata's stupidity and waywardness. As I mentioned Tigers fielding coach is not performing and Tigers are making too many elementary mistakes in the field. There was no need to panic and load the bases after Noguchi's hit but this is what Tigers did. An inept display which somehow suits the inept manager and coaching team we have.