Powell Returns, but Kondoh Pitches Better

With all the hullabaloo surrounding Jeremy Powell and his contract in the offseason, much less his surgically repaired right knee and bothersome right (throwing) elbow, it's no surprise why Powell has had his struggles this season for the SoftBank Hawks.

Powell has been pitching at ni-gun most of the season, and made his return to the Yahoo! Dome mound today against his former team, and the team that tried to sign him this offseason. Over seven innings (his longest start of the season), Powell gave up 3 runs on 9 hits, walked 2, and struck out 2.

However, Powell's counterpart, Kazuki Kondoh was better in his start. In 6 innings, Kondoh held the Hawks to 6 hits, walking 1 and striking out 5.

Orix struck first for 2 runs in the 2nd inning. A double by Kitagawa got the inning started, and then Hidaka hit a 2-run blast to right to put the Buffaloes ahead 2-0. In the 5th, Powell gave up three straight hits to Masaki Abe (double), Alex Cabrera, and Tuffy Rhodes (both singles) to bring another run in and expand Orix's lead to 3-0.

SoftBank was not able to get on the board until their Lucky 7, when Hidetaka Kawagoe was brought in. The 35-year old veteran was touched up for 2 runs on 2 hits, with 2 walks and one strikeout in 1/3 of an inning. Kenta Nakanishi was walked to begin the inning, then Takaya blasted a home run of his own to right field to get the Hawks within 1 run, at 3-2.

Kawagoe continued to struggle, as he gave up a single to Kawasaki and then walked Matsunaka to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out (Honda struck out looking). Tsuyoshi Kikuchihara was brought in, tasked with getting out of the jam. It didn't take long, as the slumping Hiroki Kokubo grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

In the 8th, given the mission to keep the game close, the heavily-used Hideaki Takahashi was brought in. He has had his struggles this season, and they continued today as he gave up back-to-back singles to Kitagawa and Hidaka to begin the 8th. Shimoyama sacrificed the two runners over to 2nd and 3rd as Takahashi's day was finished after only 1/3 of an inning.

Yao-Shun Yan then came in to try and stop the rally. Yan got Oze to ground out, and it seemed that with the light-hitting Moriyama coming up, Yan was assured of getting out of the inning. However, Moriyama legged out an infield hit to bring in Kitagawa and increase the lead to 4-2 for Orix.

A two-run lead was enough for Daisuke Katoh in the 9th inning. Even though Honda roped a 2-out single, the Hawks were unable to get anything going, and Katoh recorded his 21st save of the season.

Powell's record fell to 1-4, while Kondoh improved his record to 6-7. Takeshi Hidaka hit his 9th home run of the season, while Hiroaki Takaya hit his 2nd.

Tomorrow, in the rubber game of this 3-game series, the Orix Buffaloes will send 35-year old former Major Leaguer Ramon Ortiz (3-6, 5.09) to the mound.

SoftBank will send their #1 pick in the high school draft this past year, Sho Iwasaki, to the mound for his first career NPB start.