June 22nd Messenger v Fujii - Yokohama becomes civilized

Yes - Hamasta has finally started allowing jettos and joins the ranks of the civilized stadiums which let fans have fun. Tigers performance in this game was lamentable though. Fujii wasn't good this game and whilst one understands BayStars using him as a starter given his record against Tigers this season he didn't repay the faith placed in him and had to be pulled in the fifth. What saved the BayStars though was their outfield defense which was superb being particularly impressive near the wall. Messenger was having an off day and of course Fujii as catcher virtually ensured that it would stay that way. The use of Takayama again in the outfield wasn't the most brilliant move by Wada (what is?) and one wonders why this washed out has been is actually getting playing time. Ryota was back in the top team and one wonders what was the point of dropping him down to the second team as there seems to have been no change in anything. Scores

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

Starting Lineups

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

BayStars
1. Ishikawa (Second)
2. Kajitani (Short)
3. Morgan (Centre)
4. Blanco (First)
5. Nakamura (Third)
6. Aranami (Right)
7. Matsumoto (Left)
8. Takajyoh (Catcher)
9. Fujii (Pitcher)

It is good to get back to decent baseball after the inter-league bore but Tigers still seem to be in holiday mode. Fujii though was also in holiday mode and pitched abysmally. With one out Yamato doubled left. For some reason Fujii fell apart and walked Toritani and Murton to load the bases. Arai with visions of glory tried to hit deep but miscued and popped up to second. Next was Takayama who managed to draw a walk but this wasn't down to a skillful judgment of the situation but the fact that Fujii was all over the place - Arai should have waited - oshidashi 1-0 Tigers bases loaded. Ryota also tried to hit; sometimes the Arai brothers are chumps and grounded out easily to second. BayStars had been let off the hook in a big way. Tigers would pay dearly for this mistake as Messenger wasn't very good. He started with a lead off single to Ishikawa. Then Kajitani doubled right - bouncing the ball nicely into the corner. BayStars had runners on second and third with no outs. BayStars then traded outs for runs - Morgan hit a grounder to second and all Nishioka could do was throw to first for the out. Ishikawa was home 1-1 scores tied with Kajitani taking third. Next was Blanco who bounced the ball high to third. Ryota once again could only throw to first for the out with Kajitani getting home 2-1 BayStars. It had been neat and tidy. Finally, Nakamura hit to right and flew out to end the innings. Fujii was still there to be hit and Fujii led off Tigers second with a single to right. Messenger went to bunt and one just has to say it wasn't his night. His attempts were painful to watch and he was eventually out to the three failed bunt rule. Then Nishioka hit into a double play to end the innings. Even at this stage it didn't look to be Tigers night either. BayStars second started with Takajyoh taking a walk to lead off. He was bunted to second by Fujii but stayed there as neither Ishikawa nor Kajitani possessed the wherewithal to move him round. In Tigers third Yamato and Toritani both popped up to the infield. One wonders how they did that given the poor pitching they were facing. Murton didn't pop up and doubled nicely to right centre - the ball bouncing off the wall. Next was Arai who cracked one through the infield into left. Murton set off round the bases but the throw was good and Takajyoh took the ball and blocked the plate in plenty of time. Murton didn't stop and the only way home was through the catcher with the hope of dislodging the ball. Murton tried but Takajyoh even though bowled over by the impact held onto the ball and applied the tag - Murton was out and the innings was over. BayStars still held the lead. Morgan led off BayStars third doubling to right. The next two batters went down with Morgan stuck on second but then Aranami hit to short and was able to make first safely - runners on first and third. The final batter was Matsumoto who struck out swinging to what looked a bit like Messenger at his best.

Tigers fourth saw Takayama fail yet again with Ryota doing the same. Fujii singled for the second time in the game - a hit to centre. It was all down to Messenger who struck out swinging to end the innings. Messenger's fourth was dismal though and only benefited the BayStars. Takajyoh led off the innings with a single which brought up Fujii ready to bunt. Here Messenger was judged to have balked which given the way he was pitching was an entirely sound decision. Takajyoh took second and Fujii bunted to Messenger. He threw to third but Takajyoh slid in safely, Ryota dropping the ball. BayStars now had runners on first and third. Fujii was no help at all - a gentle word with his pitcher would have calmed nerves. Instead Ishikawa stroked his first pitch into left centre. This of course brought in Takajyoh but surprisingly for a pitcher Fujii also went for home. He slid in touching base successfully for the run 4-1 BayStars. Fujii catcher had actually had the ball but had been abysmally positioned staying in front of the plate and not in front of third to block. He also missed his tag and one has to say it was very poor catching. Ishikawa in the meantime had taken third which put Tigers in a difficult position with no outs. However they were able to count on the BayStars propensity to mess up. Yamazaki (replacement short) grounded out to third locking Ishikawa on base. Morgan walked to set up runners on first and third but funnily enough the next batter Blanco never looked like hitting and struck out swinging. Finally, Nakamura flew out in foul ground. Tigers could still rely on Fujii who despite his heroics round the bases was not exactly pitching well. With one out Yamato hit to short beating the throw - then Toritani walked setting up runners on first and second. A wild pitch took the runners to second and third and then Murton doubled very nicely to left bringing in both runners 4-3 BayStars. It was suddenly close again. Arai hit deep to right but fell to a fine catch. Then Takayama hit to short and was able to beat the throw - runners on first and third. Ryota walked to load the bases which was the end of Fujii who was replaced by Ota - no win for the BayStars starter this game. Ota got Fujii - no shakes in a bases loaded situation - to ground out and end the innings. Tigers had fallen short again. Messenger did not return for the BayStars fifth - wisely. He was replaced by Tsutsui who was much better and retired the batters in order. Asai flew out to lead off Tigers sixth and then Nishioka singled left. Now tell me the next idiocy did not happen. Wada had Yamato bunt Nishioka to second. What was the point of that? It was an entirely cosmetic move with no purpose. Next was Toritani who grounded out to second to end a wasted chance. Tsutsui had done well in the fifth but in the sixth came down with the curse of Fujii. Two outs and Yamazaki doubled left. Then Tsutsui dead balled Morgan - runners on first and second. Cue another pitching change and Watanabe took over. He got Blanco to fly out to right to end the innings. Tigers had escaped that time but still needed to solve the issue of that one run deficit.

Ohhara was the new pitcher for Tigers seventh and he made sure that they didn't solve it in that innings. The batters went down in order but at least Yokohama has jettos now. Katoh took over for BayStars seventh and likewise retired the batters in order. Tigers were rather stymied for ideas and were hoping that a flash of brilliance was going to come their way. Ino pitched Tigers eighth and they couldn't solve him either - once again no one got on base. It was all going to be down to the ninth. However, Tigers needed to keep the margin small and so Andoh took the mound. He gave up a lead off hit to Ishikawa who was bunted to second by Uchimura (pinch hitter). Ishikawa grounded out taking the runner to third. Yamazaki was next and knowing what to expect hit right. Nishioka dived but could only get a partial glove on the ball which rolled out of his grasp. The runner was home 5-3 BayStars, runner on first. Then Morgan took his second dead ball of the game - is he a dead ball magnet? It was poor calling by Fujii and put runners on first and second. Finally, Blanco flew out but BayStars were almost home and dry. Sosa closed out the game for BayStars. Two outs went down but then Toritani doubled to left centre. Next was Murton and would he pull another rabbit out of the hat with a game tying home run. He didn't and popped up to short to end the game. BayStars victory.

Tigers had had their chances and squandered them. The batting lineup seems to be facing that old Tigers problem - driving runs in. This was a golden opportunity with Fujii not pitching well and vulnerable but Tigers didn't take advantage of it at all. BayStars had handled their weaknesses rather better. They had exploited the poor pitching and poor calling rather effectively and once they had taken the lead never looked like losing it. Tigers need to play better in these situations - they don't come all the time.