May 16th Fukuhara v Tateyama - Swallows are too strong

Tigers fans are not happy. Mayumi's decision to bring Mench back and replace Sakurai has incensed them especially as Mench has not yet shown any improvement. I wrote earlier that Mayumi should go with the man in form not the expensive foreigner who is not performing. He is already getting calls for him to quit but then Tigers fans are like that. Once again Swallows were too strong for Tigers and one must also question Wada's (batting coach) effectiveness. The team failed to hit or protect a lead once again and are now fighting to avoid a sweep. They have lost five straight games against the Swallows and need to do something to change this. Box scores

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

Starting lineups

Tigers
1. Akahoshi (Centre)
2. Sekimoto (First)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Kanemoto (Left)
5. Arai (Third)
6. Mench (Right)
7. Fujimoto (Second)
8. Kanoh (Catcher)
9. Fukuhara (Pitcher)

Swallows
1. Keizoh Kawashima (Short)
2. Fukuchi (Left)
3. Aoki (Centre)
4. D'Antona (First)
5. Guiel (Right)
6. Miyamoto (Third)
7. Aikawa (Catcher)
8. Noguchi (Second)
9. Tateyama (Pitcher)

This game came down to who would make the more effective use of their hits and this would be Swallows. Tigers would waste chances in the early stages and ought to have done better. They started well with Akahoshi leading off with a hit and stealing second. But on second he stayed as Tateyama very effectively put the squeeze on the next three Tigers. Fukuhara started superbly striking out Kawashima looking and then disposing of the next two batters with ease. In Tigers second Fujimoto managed a two out two base hit (ie he swung at it and this time there wasn't a fielder under it). Kanoh was deliberately walked, Swallows reasoning that it would be better to have a go at Fukuhara which is precisely what was needed as he grounded out to short to end the innings. Swallows second was also interesting. Fukuhara got the first two outs and then suddenly walked Miyamoto and Aikawa to set up runners on first and second. Noguchi struck out looking though and no score resulted. The first run came in the third. Akahoshi walked and was bunted to second by Sekimoto. Akahoshi then tried to steal third (always more difficult than second) but was thrown out, his first failure of the season. Tateyama then walked Toritani and Kanemoto in succession setting up runners on first and second. Arai hit nicely to right driving in Toritani 1-0 Tigers runners on second and third. Here Tigers were in with a big chance, with Tateyama shakey. However, Mench was next and he - as is his wont - did nothing strking out to end the innings and the chance. But still, a Tigers lead. Swallows third was quiet as Fukuhara retired the batters in order.

In Tigers fourth with two out Fukuhara walked. Akahoshi tried a bunt hit which worked amazingly well setting up runners on second and third. Here Sekimoto flew out in foul ground - proof that Mench isn't the only one to fail. Another wasted chance. Aoki has been largely anonymous this season but led off the Swallows fourth with a hit. D'Antona followed with a two base setting up runners on second and third with no outs - dangerous. Guiel hit a sacrifice fly and the scores were tied 1-1 runner on second. The next two batters fell easily and the innings was over. The fifth was quiet as both pitchers retired their batters in order. Tateyama seemed to be over his jitters of earlier and continued his control into the sixth - once again Tigers batters fell in order. Fukuhara though ran into problems in the Swallows sixth. He got the first two outs but then left a pitch invitingly placed for D'Antona who hammered it out of the ground for a solo home run 2-1 Swallows. The next batter Guiel hit and Mayumi decided that it was probably time to pull Fukuhara. This was the wise decision but his choice of pitcher maybe wasn't. Egusa is the better pitcher with runners on but Mayumi went with his favourite Watanabe. He has looked insecure all evening and was no exception this time. Miyamoto swung his second pitch to left for a two run home run 4-1 Swallows. Aikawa flew out to end the innings but the Swallows now had a comfortable lead.

Tigers seventh was quiet. Tateyama continuing and retiring the batters in order. Abe pitched the Swallows seventh smoothly retiring the batters in order. For Tigers eighth Tateyama struck out both Toritani and Kanemoto as he retired the batters in order. Tigers were reeling and didn't really have any answer. Swallows eighth was pitched by Tsutsui who was in control. Of course for Tigers ninth Takada went with Lim. He was in control retiring the batters in order - Swallows victory.

A well worked victory by the Swallows. The fight had gone out of the Tigers after the sixth and despite the good relief pitching the batters had really not tried. Mayumi still isn't managing well and still doesn't seem to have any idea how to use his relief. Okada built up a fine relief corps but one gets the feeling that its being wasted by an amateur. This is not to say Okada was a genius but he knew the value of the relief. Mayumi doesn't. Mench needs to do something dramatic very soon. He was brought in to replace a performing player but has demonstrated absolutely no improvement with the bat so far. If he was at least hitting that would be something but he isn't even doing that.