Yoshida Haunts Kuwata Again in Tigers Victory
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Former Kintetsu Buffaloes and now Hanshin Tigers infielder
Takashi Yoshida once helped his high school team to a Koshien
Tournament win by taking future Yomiuri Giants pitcher Masumi Kuwata
deep 16 years ago. Giant first baseman Kazuhiro Kiyohara was also on
the same club. Last night, Yoshida came back to hurt Kuwata again
in the 3-2 Tigers victory.
In the bottom of the tenth inning of a 2-2 tie, Tsuyoshi Shinjoh got aboard on an infield hit and stole second. The Giants then chose to intentionally walk Yasuaki Taiho. Yoshida subsequently came up and lined the second pitch he saw from Kuwata, a fastball, into leftcenter to easily score Shinjoh and halt a five game winning streak by the Giants over Hanshin.
Yoshida had come over to Hanshin just a month ago, but when he
stepped into the batters box he said he wasn't thinking about his
previous confrontation with Kuwata all those years ago, instead
saying he was relaxed.
Unfortunately for the Osaka squad, there was also a downside to this win, as starting pitcher Tetsuro Kawajiri injured his hand on a comebacker from Kiyohara and had to be taken out of the game in the
third inning. The condition of his hand has yet to be announced.