Athletics - not quite so nice

Lew Ford continues to impress and grow in popularity. Another fine catch in the second innings of the game against the Athletics - this one a sliding effort has wiped out any memories of his indifferent camp performance. Okada is very happy with his new player. Before the game with the Athletics, Jeff Williams taped an outline of Ford near where he hit the wall against the Red Sox. This showed a player with the number 55 (Ford's number) at full stretch next to a box with EAS on it. EAS is a sports supplement company. The photo of this appeared on the front page of the Daily Sports.

Fukuhara started for Tigers and was not at his best leaving too many pitches in the strike zone and Williams was also disappointing maybe forgetting to take his EAS. Anyway line scores are

          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  R  H E
Athletics 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 5 0 10 12 0
Tigers    1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0  2  7 0

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

Athletics
1. Buck (Right)
2. Ellis (Second)
3. Cust (DH)
4. Brown (Left)
5. Crosby (Short)
6. Barton (First)
7. Suzuki (Catcher)
8. Hannahan (Third)
9. Denorfia (Centre)
Starting pitcher was Duchscherer

Things started badly for Fukuhara. In the first he gave up a two base hit to Ellis and this was followed by a 2 run home run from Cust 2-0 to Athletics. Tigers though struck back in the first, Ellis was unable to make a throw and Hirano made first. He then stole second and reached third on a wild pitch. Arai grounded out to short but Hirano was home 2-1 Athletics. In the second Barton had a two base hit for the Athletics, Imaoka hit for the Tigers and Ford made his second wonderful catch in as many games.

Leading off in the third Buck slammed a solo homer 3-1 Athletics. Ellis hit then Cust and Barton drove them both home with his second two base hit of the game 5-1 Athletics. Tigers scored another run in the fifth, Ford hit, then Yano and Hiyama drove in the run. Hiyama's production has been good of late and there is now talk of him being 'Daida' (God of pinch hitting). Akahoshi had another hit but nothing came of that and the score stood at 5-2 Athletics. So to the sixth where Abe once again was excellent with two strikeouts and surely must be included in the first team.

Athletics pitchers were also not experiencing any problems and things went on their way until the eighth. Kubota had had no problems in the seventh but Williams ran into big problems and had a nightmare innings. Crosby doubled and was driven in by Bowen (replacement catcher) 6-2 Atheletics. Williams then walked Hannahan and Fiorentino (replacement left) before giving up a grand slam to Murphy (replacement second) 10-2 Athletics. Finally Williams had faced 9 batters in the innings and walked four of them.

Tigers were outscored and on the day outclassed. Neither Fukuhara or Williams were good and whilst Williams is not usually so bad Fukuhara can be. One hopes that this is an aberration and he will return to form. Both pitchers left too many pitches in the strike zone and well done Athletics for punishing them for their carelessness. Kanemoto continues to underperform - the Open Sen and exhibition games are over and he has only had one hit, admittedly a two run home run in his first outing but since then nothing. He has yet to play an entire game either (see the current debate on the Tigers opening day thread). Otherwise, Abe, Ford, Hirano and Akahoshi all continue to impress.