September 8th Nohmi v Shinoda - A big innings

I expected a Carp bounce back and win a tight game and but for an umpiring error this might have been the case. For some reason this game was played at Kyocera Dome instead of Koshien and maybe this was the cause of the error. Probably Tiger would not have scored at all that innings and who could say what would have happened in the following innings. In the event Shinoda was brutally knocked out of the game and the Carp overwhelmed by a seven run innings - the kind of big innings Hoshino's Tigers used to create. Scores

        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Carp    1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3  5 1
Tigers  0 0 7 0 0 1 0 1 X 9 12 0

Starting lineups

Carp
1. Higashide (Second)
2. Akamatsu (Centre)
3. Hirose (Right)
4. Kurihara (First)
5. Barden (Third)
6. Ioh (Left)
7. Kura (Catcher)
8. Kimura (Short)
9. Shinoda (Pitcher)

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

Carp needed this game to maintain their challenge and with their recent record at Kyocera Dome (3 out of 3) must have fancied their chances. They started well with Higashide hitting a subdued Nohmi to centre. Akamatsu bunted him to second and then Nohmi dead balled Hirose. There seems to be quite a dead ball battle going on between Carp and Tigers and one wishes the managers would put a stop to it. With runners on first and second Carp needed Kurihara to do something and he responded driving a two base hit to left centre 1-0 Carp, runners on second and third. Barden hit a liner straight at Toritani who was able to hold the runners on base but Tigers still needed to get the third out. This was the next batter Ioh who picked the wrong one to swing at. Carp had the lead but could have had more. Shinoda started in determined fashion and Tigers batters fell in order. Kura was the next batter to pick up a dead ball as lead off for the Carp's second. He was bunted to second by Shinoda. Nohmi, though, suddenly came to life and struck out both Higashide and Akamatsu to end the second safely. Unfortunately, for Tigers their second was quiet and it looked like the game was shaping up to be a poor batting performance. At this stage Shinoda hadn't even had to throw many pitches and Tigers batters were swinging too soon. Still Nohmi seemed to have found his rhythm and Carp's third was quiet. Kanemoto led off Tigers third and hit weakly infield. The ball was taken and popped up to Shinoda as Kanemoto charged for the sack. Shinoda tagged the sack well before Kanemoto's foot touched it (plenty of photographs in the Daily Sports and Nikkan Sports show this) but the umpire ruled that Kanemoto was safe. A strange decision. It seemed to rattle Shinoda who tried to pick off Kanemoto but missed with one of his throws. Kanemoto was able to take second - it never rains but it pours. By now its not difficult to imagine a demoralised Shinoda who walked Fujii on a full count. Nohmi bunted the runners to second and third which brought Hirano to the plate. He hit his second pitch to right and Kanemoto was home 1-1 scores tied, runners on first and third. Up till now Shinoda had an excuse but now he had a double play opportunity with only one run down. Instead he sent down a poor pitch to Shunsuke who singled nicely into centre 2-1 Tigers, runners on first and second. Toritani drove straight back at Shinoda who held the ball for a line out. No run there. However, he had to get through Arai but the Tigers No. 4 hit into left field 3-1 Tigers, runners on first and third. Murton banged a two base hit into right centre - some good fielding limited the damage to one run 4-1 Tigers, runners on second and third. This was probably enough for Tigers to win but there was more to come. Sekimoto worked the count full and then walloped a loose pitch into the left stand 3 run home run 7-1 Tigers. Finally, it was Kanemoto again who grounded out to short to end the innings. Carp were basically dead and buried.

The fight seemed to have gone out of them as well and when Barden led off the fourth with a walk no one responded (still it was the bottom of the order). After Shinoda's meltdown of the third there was no way he would continue and he was replaced by Imai. Imai managed to give up a hit to a fired up Nohmi - an event which surprised everyone but Nohmi stayed on first as the next two batters failed to respond. Carp's fifth was quiet - Nohmi's jitters earlier were now forgotten and he pitched well. With two out in the fifth, Murton hit his second two base of the night - this one into centre field. Sekimoto swung too often and struck out to end the innings. Nohmi started to tire round about the Carp sixth. With one out Kurihara hit a two base to left centre. Barden flew out deep to left and Kurihara tagged up and took third but then Ioh struck out swinging again and the innings was over. Imai got Kanemoto to line out to short and then Fujii to fly out to second. He is developing a nice line in Kanemoto style flyouts. Nohmi worked the count full and drew a walk as his reward. This brought up Hirano who also worked the count full before hitting deep to right centre. Imai's limited pitch range had caught him out. Nohmi raced round the bases and this time didn't break anything but made home safely 8-1 Tigers, runner on third. HIrano had also raced round the bases and dived (head first of course) for third safely. There is a superb shot in the Daily Sports showing Hirano head on in the dive with the ball zeroing in. Shunsuke hit to third and grounded out to end the Tigers sixth.

Kura led off the Carp seventh with a single to right. Kimura flew out but then Kokubo (replacement second) slammed one into the left stand for a two run home run 8-3 Tigers. This was a bit of a nuisance but that was all and Nohmi promptly struck out Maru looking. Akamatsu was the last batter of the innings and grounded out to short. Umetsu replaced Imai for Tigers seventh and immediately gave up a hit to Toritani. Toritani made second on Arai's ground out but neither Murton nor Sekimoto were able to move him further. Nohmi retired at the end of the Carp's seventh and was replaced by Fukuhara. He had no problem with the batters and retired the Carp clean up in order. Tigers eighth was different. Umetsu ran into problems and gave up a lead off hit to Shibata (replacement centre). Fujii flew out which brought Morita (pinch hitter) to the plate. He hit deep to left and Shibata had a chance to use his speed making home safely 9-3 Tigers, runner on second. Exit Umetsu to be replaced by Kikuchihara. He was flaky to say the least letting go a wild pitch which took Morita to third and a pass ball which didn't result in a run. Still he managed to get the two outs needed and Carp only had a six run deficit. They faced Nishimura for their ninth and were unable to get runners on. The three batters tumbled and the innings ended quickly. Tigers victory.

Tigers had blown Carp away very comprehensively. Nohmi picked up the win and evened his record to 8-8. Tigers retained second place and are now four games behind Swallows who they play next. They have a very good chance of closing the gap given their record. They also have a chance to build a good winning streak.