May 22nd Tsuru v Kisanuki - Okada is happy

Central League teams aren't really interested in Inter-league. It was introduced to help the Pacific League which suffers from lack of interest (even though the situation is somewhat better now). However, for the Pacific League teams it is an opportunity to demonstrate that they aren't secondary to the Central League and they consequently try harder. Most Central League teams are not too excised about losing even though the games do count towards the final position. If the loss is not an enormous blowout its not that vital. Buffaloes suffer from the fact that they are a poor team and that they are by a long way the third most popular team in Kansai (Giants being No. 2). They would like the Kansai Derby with Tigers to be an important game but Tigers do not regard it in a similar light - for them the important games are the matches against the Giants, Buffaloes are just a diversion. Their ex-coach Okada would also like the game to be more important, it enables him to get revenge on his old team. There is definitely a tale to be told about Okada's exit from Tigers. Coupled with the fact that the Tigers manager can't manage, Buffaloes have a good chance and so won the first two games. It was a disappointing performance but at least it wasn't the Swallows (though the possible break from management by Takada would be very attractive if applied to Mayumi). Tsuru pitched quite well and this was a nice learning experience for him. He made mistakes it's true but he is getting game time at the top level and getting a chance to improve and grow as a pitcher. This sort of opportunity needs to be extended to other young pitchers as well. No more one game and then back to the second team but nice long runs in which the young pitchers can pick up real skills at the highest level. Scores

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

Starting lineups

Tigers
1. Murton (Centre)
2. Hirano (Second)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Arai (Third)
5. Kanemoto (DH)
6. Johjima (Catcher)
7. Brazell (First)
8. Sakurai (Right)
9. Fukuhara (Left)

Pitcher was Tsuru
Fukuhara was replaced by Katsuragi before the game started

Buffaloes
1. Akada (Right)
2. Arakane (Left)
3. Gotoh (Second)
4. Kitagawa (Third)
5. Kida (DH)
6. Baldris (Third)
7. Suzuki (Catcher)
8. Yamasaki (Short)
9. Sakaguchi (Centre)

Pitcher was Kisanuki

Murton started the game very well for Tigers with a solo home run off the ex-Giants pitcher Kisanuki 1-0 Tigers. Tigers should have added more runs though especially after both Arai and Kanemoto hit to set up runners on first and second. Johjima, though, struck out to end the innings. Tsuru started by walking Akada but at least it wasn't a home run. Akada tried to steal second but was thrown out but then Arakane hit a two base. Gotoh's ground out took him to third then Tsuru persuaded Kitagawa to ground out and end the innings. Tigers second was disappointing as the batters fell in order. From the point of view of the Buffaloes, their second was also disappointing as exactly the same things happened. Tigers third was also quiet and Tigers really should have done better over these two innings. Tsuru still has a lot to learn and it showed in his third innings. Yamasaki hit and then so did Sakaguchi. Both were able to hit their first pitches and Buffaloes had runners on first and third with no outs. Akada grounded out to Tsuru who made sure Yamasaki was tagged out preventing the run but leaving runners on first and second. Then his inexperience showed with a dead ball of Arakane to load the bases. Once again his first pitch to a batter hadn't been good enough. Gotoh grounded out to second which was enough to bring a runner home 1-1 scores tied, runners on second and third. Then Tsuru let go with a wild pitch which brought another runner home 2-1 Buffaloes, runner on third. Buffaloes had taken the lead without doing anything to deserve it. Kitagawa proceeded t strikeout and end the innings.

Kisanuki then quickly destroyed the lead. He gave up a one out hit to Kanemoto who then tried to steal second. He was out and generally stealing did not work in this game. With two out one would have thought that the situation was under control but Kisanuki lost control. He walked Johjima and then gave up a hit to Brazell. Sakurai walked to load the bases. Katsuragi also walked - oshidashi 2-2 scores tied bases loaded. Murton made a mess of things though - he needed to wait but swung at his first pitch and grounded out. With one out in Buffaloes fourth, Baldris hit but was thrown out stealing second, the Johjima/Toritani team functioning well for a change. Suzuki hit but didn't benefit as Yamasaki grounded out. In Tigers fifth Arai hit a nice two base but Kanemoto then lined out and ended the innings. A lot of Tigers extra base hits are getting wasted by poor follow up batting. With two out in Buffaloes fifth, Tsuru showed his inexperience by presenting Arakane with a ball he could put over the fence for his first home run of the season - a poor pitch but 3-2 Buffaloes. Brazell evened things up the very next innings blasting a one out solo into the right stand 3-3 scores tied. Katsuragi walked and Murton who this time waited hit to set up runners on first and second but Hirano couldn't convert. Once again in a Buffaloes innings (the sixth) a lightweight batter was able to hit a home run with two out. This time it was Baldris to give Buffaloes the lead for good 4-3. Tsuru still needs to develop as a pitcher.

Tigers seventh was pitched by Hirano - a very useful pitcher and one of the few the Buffaloes have. He retired the Tigers batters in order striking out both Arai and Kanemoto swinging. That was nice work. Watanabe pitched Buffaloes seventh and easily got all three batters. For Tigers eighth we saw Kishida who with two out gave up a hit to Sakurai. He was pinch run for by Yamato and Mayumi issued the steal signal. Yamato was thrown out as once again a steal failed. Given the earlier failures Mayumi should have let Katsuragi try and hit - it might have been more productive. Watanabe returned for Buffaloes eighth in what was a surprising move as one thought that Mayumi should have used another relief pitcher. The doubts turned out to be fully justified as Gotoh hit his first pitch into centre for a solo home run 5-3 Buffaloes. For Tigers ninth we saw Leicester. Whilst Hirano is a useful pitcher Leicester is less so but Tigers batters had given up and fell easily to end the game. Buffaloes victory.

Not a particularly impressive performance by the Tigers who failed to hit when needed but still out hit Buffaloes. Once again wrong options were taken, particularly in the fourth and after that it was always catch up. Pitching is still problematic and one can't really say that it is well handled or that Mayumi knows what to do. Tigers have performed poorly against the lesser Pacific League teams and it is worrying what might happen against the better ones.