July 10th Shimoyanagi v Utsumi - Giants bounce back

This game saw Giants split the series with Tigers. Coupled with the later series it means that Tigers have to lift their game against the Giants. They should not be losing (even to their old rivals) at home. Shimoyanagi had one of his rare bad games. Line scores

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

Starting lineups

1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Sekimoto (Second)
3. Arai (First)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Katsuragi (Right)
6. Toritani (Short)
7. Yano (Catcher)
8. Baldris (Third)
9. Shimoyanagi (Pitcher)

Giants
1. Takahashi (Right)
2. Kimura (Second)
3. Ogasawara (First)
4. Ramirez (Left)
5. Tani (Centre)
6. Abe (Catcher)
7. Sakamoto (Short)
8. Furuki (Third)
9. Utsumi (Pitcher)

Shimoyanagi started badly. Takahashi hit. He was followed by Ogasawara and Ramirez 1-0 Giants. Tani hit as well 2-0 Giants. With two outs Sakamoto had a two base 3-0 Giants runners on second and third. Finally Furuki was walked to load the bases and get at Utsumi. He grounded out and the innings was over. Tigers first didn't quite produce the result hoped. Akahoshi hit and was bunted to second by Sekimoto. He made third on an Arai ground out but then Kanemoto failed to convert him and the innings was over. The Giants second was quiet with Shimoyanagi having recovered his form and retiring the side in order. Tigers second saw Utsumi walk Toritani and then give up a hit to Yano - runners on first and second with one out. It also indicated that Utsumi wasn't at his best. Even so, the Giants pitcher still had enough to get Baldris to ground out and end the innings. Once again Shimoyanagi had no trouble in the third - retiring the side in order. Tigers third was different. The first two outs fell easily but then Sekimoto walked. Next Arai walked and then Kanemoto hit a ground out but Furuki messed it up and the bases were loaded. Utsumi couldn't handle the situation - Katsuragi hit 3-1 Giants, bases loaded. Toritani walked - walk in run 3-2 Giants and finally Yano struck out and the innings was over.

The Giants couldn't do anything in the fourth - they fell in order. In the bottom Baldris hit but was out in a Shimoyanagi double play. The Giants fifth saw them almost score more - they would have to wait a bit longer though. Shimoyanagi walked Kimura with one out. Ogasawara hit to set up runners on first and third. Shimoyanagi though got Ramirez to strike out and then Tani to fly out to end the danger. Kanemoto hit in the Tigers fith but nothing came of this. Shimoyanagi by now was tiring. He walked the Giants leadoff Abe who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A ground out moved him to third which brought him round to third. Then amazingly Utsumi hit to centre and Abe was home 4-2 Giants. Utsumi started the sixth but didn't finish it. He gave up a hit to Toritani and got Yano to fly out but was then recalled and replaced by Ochi. He had thrown 104 pitches, walked three and given up six hits for two runs. Average pitching rather like Shimoyanagi. Ochi struck out the next two batters and ended the innings.

The Giants seventh saw Egusa who was well....Egusa. One out and he walked Ogasawara. Then Ramirez hit to set up runners on first and second. Tani flew out but then Egusa walked Abe to load the bases. The final batter was Sakamoto and he struck out to end the innings. By contrast Uehara had no problems in the Tigers seventh retiring the side in order. For the Giants eighth Okada rashly continued with Egusa and Tigers would pay for it. Furuki hit and was bunted to second by Ohmichi (pinch hitter). Takahashi was next and he hammered a 2 run home run into the left stand 6-2 Giants. Here would have been a good time to replace Egusa but Okada continued with him. Kimura walked and then stole second. Ogaswara was next and he hit a two base driving in Kimura 7-2 Giants. Egusa had effectively put the game beyond Tigers reach and Okada should have taken him out after the seventh. Asking him to pitch two innings on that performance wasn't wise at all. Finally he was replaced and Abe was summoned. He got the last two outs and Ogasawara was left stranded on second. Still a very good innings for the Giants.

Uehara was replaced by Fujita for the Tigers eighth. He gave up a two base hit to Asai (pinch hitter). Toritani was next and he hit driving in Asai 7-3 Giants. Fujita exited to be replaced by Toyoda who gave up a hit to Yano - runners on first and second with one out. However, the next two batters fell easily and the innings was over. Taiyo was the pitcher for the Giants ninth and he gave up a lead off home run to Abe 8-3 Giants. The next three batters fell but the Giants were cruising. Surprisingly Kroon pitched the Tigers ninth. He was not on form. Akahoshi hit and then Sekimoto walked. Runners on first and second with no outs. Arai struck out for the first out but Kanemoto walked and the bases were loaded. The final batter was Fujimoto (pinch hitter) and he grounded into a double play to end the innings. Giants victory and Kroon had escaped without damage.

A competent and controlled victory by the Giants. Tigers never recovered from Shimoyanagi's bad first innings and Utsumi had had just enough to keep them behind. Egusa's pitching in the seventh innings had been a warning which Okada had chosen to ignore and as a result the Tigers paid badly when he returned. Abe should have pitched the entire eighth as it is likely he would not have given up any runs. As a result Kroon had an easier job and despite loading the bases he had runs to play with (which he didn't need) to preserve the Giants victory.