August 26th Standridge v Imai - Shi no rodo almost over

Pairing Standridge with Komiyama worked for Tigers. It was a tight game and Carp kept on pressing but Tigers held on. Komiyama is definitely the man for a tight game. Tigers runs all came from the bat of Brazell. Imagine what could have happened if Tigers had actually had someone who was decent at coaching and managing on the subject. And on this very matter Tigers are hinting that Wada will be retained. The reasons given - he has a multi-year contract and things can't get much worse. The removal of Sakai-owner and associated lackeys in the front office cannot come soon enough. The absolute contempt this exhibits for the fans is disgusting. The essential question - Is Wada performing hasn't been asked at all? With merchandising and ticket sales down one would think that the alarm bells would be ringing but this is corporate Japan and it takes a lot more to move the dinosaurs into action. Scores

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

Starting lineups

Tigers
1. Uemoto (Second)
2. Yamato (Centre)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Ryota Arai (Third)
5. Kanemoto (Left)
6. Saka (Right)
7. Brazell (First)
8. Komiyama (Catcher)
9. Standridge (Pitcher)

Carp
1. Akamatsu (Centre)
2. Kikuchi (Second)
3. Soyogi (Short)
4. Matsuyama (First)
5. Maru (Right)
6. Dobayashi (Third)
7. Amaya (Left)
8. Ishihara (Catcher)
9. Imai (Pitcher0

Tigers would actually struggle against Carp's pitching for most of the game and only really manage anything in the fourth. Carp would also struggle with Standridge though eventually be able to take advantage of him as he tired. Tigers started poorly with the batters being retired in order. Fortunately Standridge worked well with Komiyama (something that has not always happened in the past) and was dominant retiring the Carp batters with ease. This would be one of his best performances this season. Tigers were still struggling in their second when Saka worked a walk with two out. Brazell was next but in his first at bat on his return he struck out swinging to end the innings. Standridge then disposed of Carp's clean up efficiently though Maru did take a full count and Carp's second was quiet. Komiyama drew a walk in Tigers third and was successfully bunted to second by Standridge. A wild pitch took him to third and Tigers had a good chance to score. They blew it - Uemoto grounded out to second who was standing close in preventing the run and then Yamato flew out to right. Carp's third saw more fine pitching by Standridge. This was the bottom of the order and Carp had gone through the first three innings without a runner on base.

Imai had been wobbly throughout the second and third and this returned to haunt him in Tigers fourth. Toritani and Ryota Arai fell before Kanemoto singled to centre. Saka hit to right and Kanemoto doddered round to second with Saka on first. This brought up Brazell who this time crushed his fourth pitch into the left stand for a three run home run 3-0 Tigers and quite like old times. Komiyama flew out to right to end the innings. However, this was practically the end of Tigers hitting for the night - one more hit would follow. Standridge continued his fine pitching and once again prevented anyone getting on base. Unfortunately Tigers failed to capitalize on the advantage they had and sat on their lead. In their fifth the batters fell in order as Imai showed much more confidence. Carp's first hit came in their fifth spoiling any thoughts of a no hitter. With one out Maru singled to centre. However, the next batter Dobayashi hit into a double play to end the innings and once again Standridge had preserved Tigers advantage. Toritani led Tigers sixth off with their last hit of the night - a single. He stole second but despite this Ryota Arai could only fly out. Nomura switched pitchers at this point bringing on Egusa. Egusa was effective in getting both Kanemoto and Saka out and ensuring that the Tigers didn't put the game beyond reach. Amaya who had been quiet until now led Carp's sixth off with a two base to left - always a good bet with Kanemoto on the field. Ishihara and Higashide (pinch hitter) both failed to move Amaya off base and it began to look as if Standridge would get out of this innings without damage. It was not to be. Akamatsu squeezed a single to right bringing in the runner 3-1 Tigers, runner on first. Standridge then struck out Kikuchi to ensure that Carp didn't get any more traction.

Nakazaki pitched Tigers seventh and retired the batters in order. In fact there were no more Tigers base runners after the sixth innings. They had to rely on their pitching and Komiyama. Both came through. Standridge was beginning to get nervous though and a bit looser. He was still well within his limit but Carp were also turning the screw. With one out in Carp's seventh Matsuyama singled to right Maru grounded out to Standridge but moved Matsuyama to second. Dobayashi took a dead ball and was pinch run for by Kimura. But the next batter Amaya hit a grounder to short to end the innings. Tigers eighth once again saw all three batters fall in order. Tigers were by now hanging on as Carp pushed and pushed. Standridge returned for Carp's eighth which wasn't a bad decision the way he had been pitching. However, he was immediately in trouble giving up a single to right to Abe (pinch hitter). Higashide hit a grounder to first forcing out Abe but making base himself. Akamatsu hit left to set up runners on first and second. Then Eldred (pinch hitter) singled to left bringing in a runner 3-2 Tigers, runners on first and second. Here Wada made a pitching change. Judging that Standridge would not get out of the innings he brought on Enokida. Notably, he did not change his catcher. This worked, This worked Maeda (pinch hitter) hit straight to second for the ground out and the end of the innings. The lead was still intact but only just. Tigers ninth was pitched by Imamura who struck out all three Tigers batters as they went for a big hit that might widen the margin again. It would be all down to Fujikawa to close off the Carp in the bottom of the ninth. This he did very effectively retiring the batters in order and striking out the last two. Carp had shot their bolt. Tigers victory.

Standridge after a long period of struggle picked up his sixth win. The save was Kyuji's 19th and one of the easier ones (though this is all relative). Tigers now have one more away series against DeNA at Yokohama and they actually do have a good chance of winning this. Then they can return to Koshien again and start to lose at home in the best 1990s Tigers tradition.