Yet another tie

This was a much more encouraging performance in that a lead wasn't surrendered. That being said Greisinger seems to have continued from where he left off last season with another fine performance. Iwata rode his luck once again but did well enough and Sugiyama was able to pitch convincingly over 4 innings (Tigers only used 2 pitchers). Giants used four pitchers, Greisinger, Yoshitake, Toyoda and Kentaro Nishimura. A 0-0 tie was the result with honours even. Line scores

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

Starting lineups
1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Ford (Right)
4. Kanemoto (DH)
5. Arai (First)
6. Imaoka (Third)
7. Toritani (Short)
8. Katsuragi (Left)
9. Noguchi (Catcher)
Starting pitcher was Iwata

Giants were
1. Yoshinobu Takahashi (Right)
2. Tani (Centre)
3. Ogasawara (Third)
4. Ramirez (Left)
5. Gonzalez (First)
6. Kamei (DH)
7. Sakamoto (Short)
8. Kimura (Second)
9. Hoshi (Catcher)
Starting pitcher was Greisinger

Everything was straightforward until the fourth innings. Tigers had 2 hits and Giants 3 hits and a walk. Akahoshi stole second. The danger for Tigers happened in the fourth. With two out Sakamoto got a foul ball and then Kamei hit. Katsuragi just failed to make the catch sliding in but with the ball falling just short. Sakamoto was on third and Kamei on first. The next batter up was Hoshi who hit his first ball to centre. This ordinarily would have been a hit and a run but Akahoshi coming in from centre took a wonderful catch round his knees without breaking step to end the innings.

In the sixth Hirano hit and made first. He then tried to steal second but an excellent and precise throw from the Giants catcher Hoshi allowed him to be picked off. This level of fielding is something that is standard in Tigers/Giants matches. Straight after Hirano was out Ford hit a lovely two base hit but was stranded when Kanemoto grounded out. Incidently, Kanemoto still looks a bit shakey on his legs and is not yet 100%.

Tiger's main challenge came in the seventh, Imaoka got a dead ball and then Toritani hit giving the Tigers first and third with one out. However, Katsuragi hit into a double play extinguishing that chance. In the eighth the Giants Suzuki (pinch running for Tani) stole second (Noguchi's throw not being up to the standard of Hoshi's). In the ninth a quite marvelous piece of fielding by Fujimoto (replacement second, Hirano having moved to right) stopped the batter getting to first and that really was it.

Toritani and Hirano both hit twice, Ford had a two base hit and Akahoshi and Arai had the other hits. Sugiyama redeemed himself with some nice pitching and there was some fine fielding.