April 27th Kojima v Fujii - Aggressive defence

BayStars were much better behind an assured pitching performance from their starter Fujii. They also demonstrated to Tigers how to hold a crushing margin giving up one run only. Just when we thought that Kojima might be cured of his inconsistency he bounced back and displayed it in full. The thing was the total lack of any real pressure at first. He was pitching to Komiyama who had handled him well against the Swallows. Interestingly despite the margin Komiyama looked very assured behind the plate - a different catching style to the others and using the inside track more. This did lead to his one mistake. He called inside to an on form Blanco when the correct course would have ironically been a low outside pitch. Blanco hammered this pitch for a home run. Scores

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

Tigers
1. Nishioka (Second)
2. Yamato (Centre)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Murton (Left)
5. Fukudome (Right)
6. Takahiro Arai (First)
7. Ryota Arai (Third)
8. Komiyama (Catcher)
9. Kojima (Pitcher)

BayStars
1. Ishikawa (Short)
2. Uchimura (Second)
3. Ide (Left)
4. Blanco (First)
5. Nakamura (Third)
6. Kinjoh (Right)
7. Matsumoto (Centre)
8. Takajoh (Catcher)
9. Fujii (Pitcher)

The scoring was poor this game as this was an error ridden Tigers performance but not errors were accredited. Both Arai brothers were responsible for some important slips. Tigers struggled against Fujii but with two out in the first Toritani walked. He stole second but Murton grounded out to short to end that chance. Kojima started well and retired Ishikawa and Uchimura. Then Ide hit to Nishioka who fielded and threw to first. Arai should have taken the ball but dropped it and Ide was safe. This somehow was ruled a hit. Kojima who is very fragile fell apart. Blanco singled to set up runners on first and second. Nakamura also singled left bringing in the first run 1-0 BayStars, runners on first and second. Kinjoh singled right to load the bases. Then Matsumoto also singled bringing in two runs 3-0 BayStars runners on first and second. Matsumoto tried to steal second but was thrown out to end the innings. Tigers needed something special to fight back but as is so often the case when they score a lot the night before were unable to generate hits. Fujii looks deceptively ordinary but against Tigers manages to pull off some very special surprises. All three batters fell in order in Tigers second. Kojima looked like he had over come his nerves by striking out Takajoh looking to start the BayStars second but then fell apart again. He walked Fujii and then Ishikawa singled to set up runners on first and second. Uchimura grounded out to Kojima which took the runners to second and third and one thought that this would be straightforward enough. Instead Ide doubled to right - the ball just evading Fukudome's outstretched glove by the fence. Both runners were home 5-0 BayStars, runner on second. Blanco doubled left to bring in Ide 6-0 BayStars and it was clear that Kojima couldn't continue. He was replaced by Tsuru - an ignominious end to his second start. Tsuru walked Nakamura but then induced a flyout from Kinjoh to end the innings. It was a tall mountain for Tigers to climb but after only two innings there was a good chance that they would be able to fight their way back into the game. Fujii made sure it didn't happen. Komiyama led off Tigers third with a single to centre. Tsuru went to bunt and hit into a double play. Then Nishioka lined out to third. BayStars third was quiet - no one got on base and the last batter was Fujii who struck out looking. No walking him this time.

Tigers fourth and the visiting side finally got something together. Yamato led off driving fiercely to right where a superb dive and take from Uchimura saw the first out. Toritani singled right and then Murton singled left. Fukudome worked a walk - bases loaded and the Tigers had a great chance. They wasted it. Arai swung at a changeup he should have left and struck out. Ryota hit out but only succeeded in flying out to end the innings. BayStars fourth was quiet with some very nice work from Tsuru and Komiyama. Komiyama led off Tigers fifth hitting superbly to left. It looked like a double but an equally fine jump and take by Ide saw the catch taken right by the wall - one out. Neither Shunsuke (pinch hitter) nor Nishioka did anything either and the innings was quiet. Kawasaki pitched BayStars fifth. He is an erratic pitcher as well and after getting Blanco to ground out he dead balled Nakamura. Kinjoh struck out and then Matsumoto singled right - runners on first and second. Komiyama calmed his pitcher and then induced the ground out to short to end the innings. Tigers sixth and with one out Toritani hit infield. The ball bounced off Fujii's glove to short who threw to first but not strongly enough and Blanco was pulled off base. Toritani was safe. Murton then hit into a well set up double play to end the innings. Kawasaki returned for BayStars sixth. This was folly as he's really a one innings pitcher. Putting him in for two innings is always a big risk and so this proved. He started by getting Fujii to fly out but then walked Ishikawa. Then he walked Uchimura. Komiyama wasn't pleased but was reassuring to Kawasaki. This seemed to have the desired effect as Ide struck out looking. Then came Blanco. He swung at his first pitch and lifted it high and deep to left. A flyout you felt except that Murton was far to casual and slow in responding allowing the ball to go over his head and bounce of the wall for a double. Both runners were home and whilst it was a good swing Murton's poor fielding had allowed the score 8-0 BayStars, runner on second. Kawasaki was struggling and walked Nakamura. Then Kinjoh singled to Ryota who dropped the ball allowing the runner to load the bases. Another poor piece of fielding. Next was Matsumoto who hit to centre but was only going to fly out and the innings was over. A devastating blow for Tigers but symptomatic of their poor fielding that night.

Tigers seventh saw two outs go down but then Ryota picked up a walk. Komiyama tried to hit right but could only line out to Uchimura and the chance was gone. Yokohama stadium now allows jettos and so we saw the Tigers jettos before their seventh and the blue and white BayStars jettos before the bottom of the seventh. A very welcome change. Tsutsui pitched BayStars seventh and struck out Takajoh and Fujii. He seemed a bit wary of Fujii at first but all the BayStars pitcher was going to do was to swing and miss. Ishikawa grounded out and the innings was over. Tigers eighth and with two out Yamato singled to centre. Toritani walked - runnners on first and second and then Murton hit right to bring home Yamato 8-1 BayStars, runners on first and third. Fukudome grounded out to second though to end the rally. BayStars were still very much in control. Katoh pitched BayStars eighth. He started well getting Uchimura to ground out and Ramirez (pinch hitter) to fly out. Blanco was next and was in the mood to hit out. He turned his seventh pitch just foul but then got hold of his eighth pitch - a high changeup for a glorious straight home run 9-1 BayStars. Yamazaki (replacement third) then flew out to end the innings. Fujii returned for Tigers ninth which was surprsing. He had already thrown a lot and there wasn't a shut out on. Maybe Nakahata didn't trust his relief. The Arai brothers collapsed which left Komiyama who swung to right but only succeeded in flying out to end the game. BayStars victory.

A crushing victory for the BayStars. They had finally strung something together behind a good pitching performance and attacked aggressively and well. Tigers hadn't performed at all well with the batters failing and fielding being substandard. Kojima may never be a starting pitcher after all - he is too unpredictable and too prone to disintergrate. I would like to see Iwamoto back up and was surprised that a pitcher of such promise was not in the starting lineup. Tigers can still take the series though as Fujinami is on form and has stronger nerves than Kojima.