July 29th Vogelsong v Ishikawa - Tigers win a called game

This game saw possibly an only average display of pitching by Vogelsong who finally picked up a win in his second session with the top team. Uezono, who pitched the day before has now been sent down to the second team to work on his problems. Tigers became the first team to reach 60 victories this season and go into a well earned break. When they return they will be without, Arai, Fujikawa and Yano. Resop also pitched last night and showed good variation, his slowest pitch was 112 kmh and fastest 150 kmh. The Magic Number now stands at 41 (CM is 36). Line scores

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

Starting lineups

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

Swallows
1. Fukuchi (Right)
2. Miyamoto (Third)
3. Aoki (Centre)
4. Hatakeyama (First)
5. Tanaka (Second)
6. Iihara (Left)
7. Kawashima (Short)
8. Fukukawa (Catcher)
9. Ishikawa (Pitcher)

Ishikawa started shakily and in fact would not have a good game. He got the first two outs but then gave up a two base hit to Sekimoto. Kanemoto walked and then Sekimoto stole third - someone must have been asleep in the Swallows team. Anyway runners on first and third with two outs. Takahashi was next but he struck out looking and the chance was lost. Vogelsong was even more shaky in his first. Like Ishikawa he gave up a hit with two outs - this time a single to Aoki. Next batter was Hatakeyama whose first pitch was a fast straightball high in the zone. Hatakeyama gleefully hammered it over the right fence for a two run home run 2-0 Swallows. Tigers second saw Baldris walk and then steal second. The final batter though was Vogelsong and this innings he struck out. Swallows second was quiet with the batters being retired in order and maybe Vogelsong had settled down. Ishikawa hadn't and ran into trouble in the third. Akahoshi leading off hit, then Hirano hit and Sekimoto hit to short to load the bases. Next batter Kanemoto who hit - a two run timely 2-2 scores level - runners on first and second with no outs. It looked like Ishikawa was in for a long innings. Sadly, it was not to be - he got Takahashi to fly out which moved Sekimoto to third. Then Toritani flew out in foul ground and finally Yano flew out to Tanaka to end the innings. A bit of a waste but the deficit had disappeared. Swallows third started with an Ishikawa strike out but then Fukuchi hit a two base. This was followed by a Miyamoto hit setting up runners on first and third with only one out. Aoki was persuaded to fly out in foul ground and then Miyamoto tried to steal second. As he was being chased down Fukuchi charged home - safe 3-2 Swallows and well done Miyamoto. He was out and the innings finished but he had given the Swallows the lead again.

Ishikawa, though couldn't hold the lead. Facing Vogelsong he served up an outside slider which the Tigers pitcher dispatched into the left stand for a solo home run 3-3 scores level and oops. Akahoshi then hit and tried to steal second but was thrown out. Hirano was the final batter and he struck out. The Swallows fourth saw Iihara hit but he was thrown out trying to steal second and the innings was over. With two out in the Tigers fifth it looked like Ishikawa was safe - the next batter was Takahashi who hadn't done anything but he got hold of a wayward pitch and dispatched this into the right stand for a solo home run 4-3 Tigers. The final batter was Toritani who flew out.Vogelsong was in control for the Swallows fifth and they fell in order. The Tigers sixth saw the first pitching change - Igarashi coming on to replace Ishikawa who had not pitched particularly well, 4 runs on 8 hits and two walks off 99 pitches. Igarashi walked Shoda (pinch hitter) who then tried to steal second and was thrown out (throwing by both sides was good this game) - end of innings. Resop pitched the Swallows sixth and showed good variation. With two out, though, he gave up a two base hit to Aoki but the final batter was Hatakeyama who grounded out and the innings was over. Tigers seventh turned out quiet - the pitcher, Matsuoka retiring the Tigers batters in order.

The Swallows seventh was a bit more interesting. With one out Iihara hit. He made second on a ground out and then Okada decided it was time to replace Resop and use Williams for the final out. This didn't quite go as planned - Williams was shaky. He gave up a hit to Shida (pinch hitter) - runners on first and third. Shida then stole second but Noguchi (pinch hitter) struck out and the innings ended without score. It was shortly after this that the heavens opened. Tokyo was subject to a torrential thunderstorm which made play quite impossible. The game was called at 9.06pm as it was clear that it was impossible to continue play. Tigers victory.

The Tigers batters had shown better application this game and had held on to the lead. Victory was not guaranteed though and the rain was welcome. Williams picked up his first save and the victory went to Vogelsong (3-2).