July 15th Nohmi v Sugiuchi - Battered Nohmi

Having crept to within spitting distance of the Giants, Tigers couldn't get further and get within ear poking distance losing a disappointing (for Tigers fans) game. Nohmi did not pitch well but surprisingly neither did Sugiuchi who also lacked location though not to the same extent as Nohmi. The usual inept bunts were laid down as well which made one wonder whether managers actually want to win games. Scores

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

Starting Lineups

Giants
1. Nakai (First)
2. Terauchi (Second)
3. Sakamoto (Short)
4. Abe (Catcher)
5. Chono (Centre)
6. Murata (Third)
7. Kamei (Right)
8. Yano (Left)
9. Sugiuchi (Pitcher)

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

Koshien was packed to the gills with rabid Tigers fans; 46,876 in all though there was a sizable portion of Giants fans in that number and they did make their presence felt throughout the game. The only good news for Nohmi in the first was Nakai flying out in foul ground. After that it was all downhill. To be honest he looked off his game and Fujii wasn't exactly calling with any assurance. Terauchi walked and then so did Sakamoto. A poor pitch which Fujii missed took the runners to second and third but Abe did at least strike out. One more out to go but it didn't prove to be Chono who walked. This brought up Murata who swung mightily at his first pitch hammering it over Yamato who had to turn and try to track back. He had no chance of reaching the bases clearing double 3-0 Giants. Kamei hit his first pitch to short to end the innings but you didn't see Tigers winning the game. Nishioka led Tigers off hitting to second. A neat flip of the ball to Sakamoto allowed the Giants short to throw to first but the replays indicated that the out call was wrong and that Nishioka should have been safe. There was no mistake with Yamato's single though. Toritani worked a walk and it looked like Sugiuchi's lead wasn't going to survive the first. His pitches to Murton didn't betray any confidence but then Murton was lured into hitting to third for an innings ending double play. Nohmi continued to look shaky in Giants second and with Yano out gave up a single to Sugiuchi. The Giants pitcher stayed on first though as the next two batters failed to move him round. Finally, in their second Tigers were able to do something with the poor pitching they were facing. Arai led off with a walk and then Imanari hit high to right. Initially, it looked like a fly out but bounced just in front of Kamei. This meant that Arai would only take one base instead of the two that might have occurred from a line drive. Ryota was lured into striking out and then Fujii latched onto a loose pitch driving it along the third baseline past Murata's despairing drive for a timely double 3-1 Giants, runners on second and third. Sugiuchi wasn't pitching well and walked Nohmi to load the bases - all with one out. Nishioka went for the centre hit which was taken deep enough to allow Imanari to tag up and slide in home for the Tigers second run 3-2 Giants, runners on first and second. Perhaps the wrong option here but it was early stages and Tigers would be able to attack again. Yamato hit to short and grounded out ending the innings. The Giants still held the lead. Giants third was quiet and their clean up did nothing. Tigers third was similar, Toritani fluffed his swing and his weak shot was picked up by Abe who threw to first for the out. Murton grounded out to short and then Arai struck out to a fine outside pitch from Sugiuchi.

The game exploded into life again in Giants fourth. Murata led the innings off with a single to left. After two excellent strikes the third pitch was poor. Kamei lined out to Nishioka but then Yano hit right - the ball just staying fair for a double - Giants had runners on second and third. Sugiuchi tried the squeeze and Fujii almost had one of them which looped over him but dropped the ball. Normally, he is reliable catching these so it was a bad slip. The final attempt was laid along the first baseline and if it had stayed in would have been the perfect squeeze bunt but it didn't and Sugiuchi was out. Nakai then struck out to end the innings. Tigers could breathe again. Imanari failed in Tigers fourth but then Ryota singled to centre. Fujii was next but this time he hit back to Sugiuchi who threw to second. Terauchi then threw to first to complete the innings ending double play. With two out Abe came to the plate looking for a home run. He sounded Nohmi out and then started to swing. He was fouling but in control waiting for the right ball. Nohmi was doing his best rabbit caught in the spotlight impersonation and duly fed him a straight - not the right ball for the circumstances and a poor call as well. Abe latched onto hit and hit it into the Tigers gaia for a solo home run 4-2 Giants. It had a depressing inevitability about it and one realised that Nohmi was tired and should be replaced at the end of the innings. His final pitch of the innings was the first to Chono who grounded out to third for the last out. With Nohmi struck out and here Nohmi did try and hit Sugiuchi who was also tiring. The ball just drifted wide of the right foul pole but Nohmi struck out. Nishioka didn't and doubled right. Yamato struck out though and then Toritani grounded out to end the innings. Nohmi returned for Giants sixth on 96 pitches but the way he had been pitching this was an innings too far. Murata rapidly took him up to 100 pitches and walked to lead off the innings. Kamei grounded out to second forcing out Murata but making first safely himself. Then Yano hit left. The ball evaded Ryota's dive and rolled towards it's meeting with the glove of Murton. Murton picked up and threw to third as Kamei slid in to base. Murton's throw wasn't good and Ryota missed the take with the ball rolling away into foul ground this time. Kamei got up and raced home for the run 5-3 Giants. A farcical mess is the best way to describe it. Sugiuchi was next - Hara had thought about replacing him but decided that he should pitch another innings with the restoration of a three run margin. He grounded out taking Matsumoto (who was pinch running for Yano and who had made second) to third. However, Nakai grounded out to short. Murton did not redeem himself leading off Tigers sixth - he grounded out to third. Arai was next and swinging at his first pitch drove the ball nicely over the fence for a solo home run 5-3 Giants. Imanari grounded out to second but Hara decided that it was time to relieve Sugiuchi. This was almost a big mistake. Mathieson took over and didn't pitch well at all. Ryota singled left and then Fujii hit to centre with Ryota making third and Fujii on first. Wada put Saka in to pinch hit for Nohmi but he struck out to end the innings.

Andoh took over for the Giants seventh and with two out gave up a single to Abe who was enjoying himself by now. Chono who didn't have a good game at five grounded out. Tigers seventh was much better by Mathieson who retired the batters in order. Giants eighth was pitched by Tsutsui who following a poor call left his first pitch to Murata in an eminently hittable situation. Murata hammered it over the fence for a solo home run 6-3 Giants. The next three batters fell in order but Tsutsui didn't look pleased - the later work had been ruined by the mistake with the first pitch. Yamaguchi pitched Tigers eighth and found the batters quiescent. It didn't take him long to dispose of the three he faced. Matsuda made his second appearance and by now the Giants were cruising so he didn't have any squeaks from the three batters he faced. Nishimura of course pitched Tigers ninth. He didn't start well having something of Sugiuchi's disease and walked Ryota to lead off the innings. Fujii swung but flew out to right in foul ground. Then Hiyama (pinch hitter) singled right to set up runners on first and second. Giants were being made to work for their victory. Nishioka grounded out to Sakamoto forcing out Shunsuke (pinch running for Hiyama) but allowing Ryota to get to third and Nishioka to take first. It was all a bit too little as Morita (pinch hitter) struck out swinging going for the big one to end the game. Giants victory.

Once again the Giants had comfortably beaten a lacklustre Tigers side. Coming off a three game sweep by the Dragons - how did they manage that? Giants had something to prove. Nohmi was poor and Fujii wasn't much better but Tigers could have made more of Sugiuchi's struggles. Both pitchers looked tired and in need of a rest. Nohmi certainly didn't need to pitch the sixth. Tigers batting hadn't been bad at all but with poor catching and pitching they were unable to keep up with the Giants who were just that little bit better.