August 7th Iwata v Ohtake - Banging away

The Carp were dismal this game and even leaving 12 runners on and wasting two bases loaded situations Tigers still managed to score at a steady rate. Ohtake was there to be hit and hit he was and the Carp themselves managed a total of four double plays - they were that bad. Shimizu started behind the plate and helped Iwata earn his second win this season. We saw Kubo make his return to the top team though time will tell whether his extended sojourn in the second team will bear any fruit. Scores

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

Starting Lineups

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

Carp
1. Lewis (Left)
2. Kikuchi (Second)
3. Maru (Centre)
4. Ka'aihue (First)
5. Hirose (Right)
6. Kokubo (Short)
7. Dobayashi (Third)
8. Ishihara (Catcher)
9. Ohtake (Pitcher)

We saw Imanari used as lead off for the first time which seemed to go well. He started with a lead off walk and was bunted to second by Yamato. Toritani managed to pop up to second but Murton looped one into centre to bring in the runner 1-0 Tigers, runner on first. A very wild pitch took Murton to third and then Arai walked. Here was Tigers first chance to crack the game open but they couldn't do it and Saka grounded out to first ending the innings. Carp also started with a lead off walk - Lewis taking just five pitches to get to first. Kikuchi bunted him to second and then Maru popped up to second as well. So far the Carp's first was an exact copy of the Tigers first. Then the innings diverged. Ka'aihue walked to set up runners on first and second and then Hirose flew out to right ending the chance. Tigers second saw two batters go down - rather carelessly one thought and then Iwata doubled hitting over right who was standing in. Ohtake was certainly hittable this night. More out of surprise Imanari hit straight to second for the ground out ending the chance. We can't really claim that Iwata was pitching well - with one out in Carp's second he walked Dobayashi. However, Carp's first double play came at this opportune moment and Ishihara supplied the outs. If Ohtake had been shaky in the first two innings he burst into full flower in the third. He walked Yamato to start the innings. Toritani hit to Ka'aihue who fielded and threw to Ohtake who missed the catch allowing Toritani to reach second and Yamato to take third. Then Ohtake walked Murton to load the bases. Tigers should have used this bases loaded no outs situation far better than they did. Arai popped up to second and the runners stayed where they were - that was poor batting. Saka hit deep to right which produced a sacrifice fly 2-0 Tigers with Yamato and Toritani tagging up - runners on first and third. Ryota managed to strike out and end the innings. Tigers had doubled their lead but must have felt that they could have had more. With Ohtake out Lewis hit to left centre for a double. Kikuchi singled to centre bringing Lewis in 2-1 Tigers, runner on first. Maru then hit into another innings ending double play - both times the batters had hit to Iwata who had been sharp in throwing to second. Carp had hauled one run back very quickly.

Still Ohtake was at the stage where he was basically useless and bled runs for the remainder of his session. Shimizu led the Tigers fourth off with a single. Iwata bunted him to second and then Imanari hit to second. Kikuchi fielded well but couldn't stop the runner reaching first with Shimizu on third. Yamato was next and freed from the need to bunt hit to centre to bring Shimizu home 3-1 Tigers, runners on first and second. Once again Tigers failed to break out and Toritani flew out to right. Murton flew out to centre to end the innings. Carp's fourth was quiet - no batters reaching first and a valuable gap in Carp's attempts to get back into the game. Arai led off Tigers fifth with a single to right. Saka grounded out to second but at least moved Arai round to second. Next up was his brother who seized hold of his first pitch, a shuto and propelled the ball into the left centre stand - a two run home run 5-1 Tigers, Shimizu tried to go for his first pitch as well but grounded out to third and then Iwata flew out to centre ending the innings. The fifth is Iwata's danger innngs but at least here he had a decent lead. Still, Dobayashi led the innings off with a line drive to right. Once again Ishihara hit into a double play - this one being a 4-6-3 double. Isomura (pinch hitter) walked and then Lewis grounded out to first - Iwata had survived. Hisamoto pitched Tigers sixth and started by walking Imanari. Once again Wada had Yamato bunt but one wonders why with a four run lead? Toritani singled right but only managed to take Imanari to third and himself to first. Then Murton hit into Tigers only double play of the game and the innings was over. Iwata struck out the first two Carp batters in the sixth but gave up a single to Ka'aihue. He then got nervous and dead balled Hirose - runners on first and second. Kokubo hit into a short grounder ending the innings though.

Arai started Tigers seventh hitting to left. Then Saka walked - runners on first and second. Ryota grounded out forcing out Saka but running fast enough to avoid the double play - runners on first and third. Shimizu struck out swinging and Sekimoto (pinch hitter) picked up a dead ball - bases loaded. Imanari grounded out to short and Carp could breathe a sigh of relief. Matsuda replaced Iwata in what seems to have been a rare burst of good sense from Wada though Iwata should have been good for Carp's seventh. The innings saw Ishihara hit over the infield with one out for a single but Iwamoto (pinch hitter and replacement left) grounded out to short forcing out Ishihara before Lewis also grounded out. Ohno took over for Tigers eighth and immediately walked Yamato. Yamato tried to steal second but was thrown out. Then Ohno walked Toritani which brought the Carp's pitching coach to the mound, justifiably worried. Murton flew out to right but Arai drove into centre - runners on first and second. Saka hit to third where Dobayashi could only field and Tigers had loaded the bases yet again. This time Wada having had enough of the regular team's inability to convert double plays brought Hiyama on. He hit to right bringing in 2 runners 7-1 Tigers, runner on first. Saka though also tried to go too far and was the third out. Hiyama now has 155 pinch hits, second on the all Japan list. Andoh pitched Carp's eighth and gave up a lead off single to Kikuchi. Maru was next and produced the fourth double play of the game for Carp. Andoh though managed to walk Ka'aihue and then Hirose singled setting up runners on first and second. Carp's counter offensive died there with Kokubo flying out to right. Surprisingly, after his debacle in the eighth Ohno stayed on for Tigers ninth. He did much better that innings as the satiated Tigers batters fell in order with no one reaching base. Kubo pitched Carp's ninth and struck out Dobayashi to start the innings off in style. Ishihara flew out to centre and then Iwamoto grounded out to end the game. Tigers victory.

Tigers had been presented with so many opportunities to win that it was unsurprising that they did so. However, they did waste an awful lot of good situations - Hiyama had come through in the clutch once again but the game was won by then. Tigers also presented the Carp with plenty of chances which the Carp merrily blew. Giants won so Tigers still trail in second. The start to shi no rodo has been good so far but Tigers need to keep this up.