April 19th Iwata v Muranaka - Swallows turn to apply the pressure

The puzzling aspect of this match was the benching of Yano for Noguchi. Even though 2 of Iwata's past three starts have been with Noguchi, Yano is currently hitting well. He has found his rhthym and is knocking in runs. Noguchi is hitting at about Imaoka level and really one should go with the man in form. In a move which fooled no-one Fukuhara was listed to start as right fielder. Of course this was changed and Ford actually took the right field slot for the first innings. Line scores were

         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Tigers   0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1  3 0
Swallows 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 X 4 10 0

Starting lineups
1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Arai (First)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Fukuhara (Right) - see above
6. Toritani (Short)
7. Noguchi (Catcher)
8. Sekimoto (Third)
9. Iwata (Pitcher)

Swallows
1. Iihara (Left)
2. Tanaka (Second)
3. Aoki (Centre)
4. Guiel (Right)
5. Miyade (First)
6. Miyamoto (Short)
7. Shiroishi (Third)
8. Fukukawa (Catcher)
9. Muranaka (Pitcher)

The weather at the start of the match was bad. Rain lashed across the field and most people were sheltering under umbrellas. Of course the crowd was mostly Tigers fans but there were more Swallows fans than had been of late. The Swallows Gaia was a bit fuller than before. Muranaka started by walking Akahoshi. He was then bunted to second by Hirano. Muranaka then released a wild pitch allowing Akahoshi to advance to third with Arai and Kanemoto to come. However, both struck out to end the innings. Iwata's first innings was different. He got Iihara easily enough but then walked Tanaka. Maybe the weather was affecting him (the rain was at its heaviest and it was very uncomfortable) but his last start was also undistinguished. Enter Aoki to the Grand Finale from Carmina Burana (his theme music) which suggests a rather big ego to say the least. He hits well and gets round the bases easily but as a fielder is merely average. In fact the only Swallows fielder who impressed last night was Shiroishi who was a live wire at third.

As I said Aoki hits well and he did so almost immediatley this time. Runners on first and second with one out. Guiel was next and he continued his hot streak hammering a two base to right which landed just inside the foul line. Both Aoki and Tanaka were home and the score was 2-0 Swallows. Miyade was next and he hit past Iwata into the gap at centre - Guiel made for home and it was 3-0 Swallows. Not a good start by Iwata. He then gave up another hit to Miyamoto - runners on first and second with one out but the final batter Shiroishi grounded into a double play to end the innings. Both second innings were quiet - the sides being retired in order. So to the top of the third. Sekimoto faced Muranak and slammed a pitch to left centre. This looked like a fairly easy fly ball but Guiel and Aoki couldn't decide who was going to take it and stood looking at each other whilst the ball sailed between them to cannon of the wall. By the time they had sorted themselves out Sekimoto had raced to third. The next batter, Iwata grounded out to first and Sekimoto did not chance Miyade's arm. Akahoshi was next and hit towards third. Shiroishi went for the home plate but Sekimoto sliding in was home and Akahoshi was safe on first 3-1 Swallows. Akahoshi then stole second while the Swallows stood around nonplussed. No one covered the base and it was probably one of Akahoshi's easiest steals - he didn't even have to slide. Muranaka then walked Hirano and the runners advanced to second and third on an Arai pitcher ground out. However, Kanemoto flew out to end the innings.

Aoki hit again in the Swallows third but nothing came of this. Nothing happened in the Tigers fourth and so to the bottom. Iwata still hadn't settled down and he gave up a hit to Miyamoto. Shiroishi bunted him to second and then Fukukawa hit to third. This resulted in a superb diving stop by Sekimoto who was up and fired the ball to Arai at first but Fukukawa was safe. Runners on first and third with one out. Muranaka hit to Hirano who took and threw to Toritani at second. Toritani threw to first but the throw was just a little late and Muranaka was safe. Fukukawa was home though and it was 4-1 Swallows. The final batter of the innings Iihara grounded out to end the innings. So far the Swallows could be very satisfied with their efforts.

This feeling continued in the fifth as Muranaka retired the Tigers in order. Iwata did the same and the action moved to the sixth. Here Kanemoto walked but Ford flew out to end the innings. Likewise Swallows sixth was quiet and so to the Tigers seventh. This took a little longer to organise because of the wind. The Tigers fans of course inflated and released their jettos but with the wind blowing across the field instead of mostly going up 80% of them landed on the playing area and took time to be cleared up. Those on the other side mostly stuck to the netting. This time Noguchi walked and then Sekimoto hit again, runners on first and second with one out. Imaoka was summoned as pinch hitter for Iwata (why not one of the others?) and flew out. Then Akahoshi grounded out to Shiroishi. This was really the Tiger's final challenge. Muranaka left the mound after this innings. He had thrown 115 pitches, struck out 5 and walked four. Significantly he had only allowed 2 hits and 1 run. A very good performance.

The Swallows seventh was taken by Abe. He got the first two batters to ground out and then Iihara hit. Next up was Tanaka who took one strike before Iihara tried to steal second. Noguchi's throw went like a laser to Toritani who had all the time in the world to tag out Iihara to end the innings. In the eighth Kanemoto hit but Ford flew out to end the innings. The Swallows eighth saw Tsutsui who got into trouble very quickly. Tanaka walked and then Aoki had his third hit of the game. Runners on first and second and no outs. Next up Guiel flew out to Ford and then Takeuchi (replacement first) hit a foul fly to Arai, two out. Miyamoto hit and the bases were loaded. Finally, Shiroishi hit a deep fly to Ford who calmly took it to end the innings. Lim closed out the match. He walked Toritani but then got Katsuragi (pinch hitter) who almost caught Aoki going the wrong way and Hiyama (pinch hitter) who grounded into a double play to end the innings and the match. Swallows victory.

The amount of noise generated by the Tigers Gaia was amazing drowning out the PA at times. It became especially loud for Hiyama and when Tigers had runners on base. However, a good efficient performance by the Swallows built on sound pitching and hitting saw them take the game. If they want to challenge for the title though the fielding needs to move up a couple of levels at least.