April 16th Messenger v Ogasawara - Highlights? You want Highlights?

Tight and tense this game ensured that the Tigers will not lose the series against the Dragons. Both sides used a prodigious number of pitchers but neither could get an advantage and the game finished in the eleventh innings after reaching the 3 hours 30 minutes rule introduced this season. It actually went on for 4 hours two minutes so one must assume that they took account of stoppage time. Dragons pitcher, Ogasawara had to be carried off the field in the third but Tigers couldn't take advantage of this. LIkewise Dragons found Tigers relief difficult to beat with Enokida making his professional debut. Unfortunately we saw Fukuhara again - he is just keeping a good pitcher out of a place. Scores

         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Tigers   0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0  0  0 1 6 0
Dragons  0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  0  0 1 7 1

Starting lineups

Tigers
1. Murton (Right)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Arai (Third)
5. Brazell (First)
6. Kanemoto (Left)
7. Johjima (Catcher)
8. Shunsuke (Centre)
9. Messenger (Pitcher)

Dragons
1. Araki (Short)
2. Ibata (Second)
3. Morino (Third)
4. Wada (Left)
5. Guzman (Right)
6. Blanco (First)
7. Ohshima (Centre)
8. Tanishige (Catcher)
9. Ogasawara (Pitcher)

The first was quiet as both pitchers retired the batters in order. However, it was an encouraging sign indicating that Messenger was going to have a good pitching day. The second continued the way of the first with no one reaching base. Things started to happen in Tigers third though. Ogasawara fell over trying to cover first with two outs and had to be carried off the field with an injured calf. His place was taken by Yamauchi who retired the final batter, Messenger. Messenger then walked Tanishige in Dragons third and the latter was bunted to second by Yamauchi. Nothing came of this as the final batter of the innings Araki grounded out to third.

The Tigers fourth saw Yamauchi maintain the stranglehold that Ogasawara had established over the Tigers batters with no one reaching base. Dragons fourth turned out to be different. Messenger's previously exmplary control deserted him and Ibata led the innings off with a hit to left. A wild pitch took Ibata to second but Morino lined out. Wada walked but Guzman flew out on his first pitch. Here another wild pitch took the runners to second and third but Messenger was able to get Blanco out and escape the innings. Tigers fifth was still the same pattern - not one Tigers batter had reached base by any means yet. Dragons fifth and having established a slight psychological advantage over Messenger in the fourth, Dragons proceeded to take advantage of it. With one out Tanishige walked and was bunted to second by Yamauchi. This time Araki drove powerfully into right for a two base hit 1-0 Dragons, runner on second. Ibata struck out looking but Dragons had one of their slender leads. This didn't last long. Johjima hit to Yamauchi who deflected the ball away from the fielder. Johjima was safe on first and was bunted to second by Shunsuke. At this point Ochiai switched his pitchers bringing on Mise. He faced Sekimoto (pinch hitter) whom he managed to walk - Tigers had runners on first and second now. Murton hit to centre and Johjima went for home only to be tagged out at the plate - Tigers had runners on first and third now. Hirano hit to Mise who messed up the throw and Sekimoto was able to make home 1-1 scores tied, runners on first and second. Toritani though flew out to left to end the innings. For Dragons sixth Mayumi sent Enokida to the mound for his professional debut. Hardly the pitcher I would have chosen for such a tight situation given that Watanabe was available. Enokida didn't start well giving up a hit to Morino. Wada walked and Dragons had runners on first and second with no outs. Enokida's nerves were obviously getting the best of him. Guzman struck out swinging and then Blanco popped one up to Johjima making two outs. Enokida's nerves hadn't settled down and he dead balled Ohshima to load the bases. However, Tanishige came to the rescue striking out swinging and the innings was over.

Arai led off Tigers seventh with a hit. He wasn't on base long as Brazell hit into a double play. At this point Ochiai switched pitchers again this time to Kawahara who got Kanemoto to swing too soon and pop one up to second. Mayumi decided that he would like to live dangerously just a bit longer and put Enokida in for his second innings. With one out the youngster walked Araki. Ibata though hit a liner straight to Enokida who was able to take the catch and throw to first for the double play. Asao pitched Tigers eighth and gave up a hit to Shunsuke. Nothing came of this and the action moved into Dragons eighth. The pitcher was Kubota who started by giving up a lead off hit to Morino. Two ground outs followed with the Tigers fielders throwing to second and keeping the Dragons batters on first. After Morino and Wada had both fallen to this tactic it was Guzman on first. Kubota then let go a wild pitch which took Guzman to second. This was Dragons big chance and Blanco hit into left but Asai's (Asai had replaced Kanemoto in the seventh) throw was good and Guzman was tagged out going for home. Iwase pitched Tigers ninth and found Arai too much to handle. The Tigers third drove a nice two base hit but once again was let down by Brazell who swung too soon and flew out in foul ground to Morino. Dragons ninth was Kobayashi and he gave up a hit to T. Donoue. A wild pitch took Donoue to second but this time Araki couldn't hit and Kobayashi struck him out swinging to end the innings and take the game into extra innings.

Tigers tenth was pitched by Hirai who walked Asai. However, he didn't move beyond first as the next three batters fell in order. Kyuji Fujikawa pitched Dragons tenth and was secure retiring the batters in order. Hirai started Tigers eleventh and gave up a lead off hit to Murton. That was the end of Hirai who was replaced by M. Kobayashi. Murton was also replaced by Yamato as Mayumi went for a bit more speed round the bases. Hirano bunted Yamato to second but Toritani grounded out. At this point Ochiai switched to Suzuki who with Yamato poised on second got Arai to fly out and end the innings. Now it was Dragons turn and they had an unexpected gift, the pitcher was Fukuhara. Guzman failed to take advantage of this and struck out looking but Blanco hit. This was the end of Fukuhara who was replaced by Kojima. Actually this wasn't an improvement as a nervous Kojima proceded to walk Ohshima and then send a wild pitch down to move the runners round to second and third. At this point Johjima signalled a deliberate walk and the bases were loaded. Things were ominous. Saeki (pinch hitter) walked to the plate and drove a slider to Brazell who threw to Johjima for the second out - the bases were still loaded though. Here Mayumi brought Watanabe on - he was successful in getting Araki to ground out to second to end the innings. Here the game finished all square.

An epic struggle with neither side able to get an advantage. Given Tigers record in Nagoya they can be more satisfied with the result. They had responded quickly when the Dragons took the lead and had held the Dragons fighting off their late challenge as well. Murton, Brazell and Johjima still haven't started firing yet but are beginning to hit. All of them need to drive in runs though as Tigers can't rely on Toritani and Arai for ever. However, one thing needs to be considered. The day before Lin had played a significant part in the game but this game was replaced by Kanemoto. This is plain stupidity especially as Asai replaced Kanemoto in left field before the game had finished. Lin was due to be inserted as a pinch hitter but was switched for Hiyama - another Mayumi move that misfired and was based on the supposed left/right difference. Lin should have started this match just as Fujii should have never started the game today (17th).