September 1st Shimoyanagi v Fujie - Another long night

BayStars pitching hasn't improved and recently they've been a convenient training vehicle for Tigers batters. In the past five games Tigers have scored 10 or more runs each game. This is quite impressive dominance and apart from one game BayStars batting has been anonymous. One doesn't see Obana back next year at this rate. Brazell reached 40 home runs - the first Tiger to do this since Kanemoto did so in 2005. He is also one run off 100 RBIs. One imagines Seibu's front office staring in horror at what they let go. Once again Mayumi showed good judgment with his pitchers and used Shimoyanagi well. We can all hope that this trend continues and with Nohmi due to return next week at the earliest the rotation will receive a much needed boost. Scores

          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9  R  H E
BayStars  0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1  3 10 0
Tigers    4 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 X 10 16 0

Starting lineups

BayStars
1. Uchikawa (Right)
2. Ishikawa (Short)
3. Harper (First)
4. Murata (Third)
5. Sledge (Left)
6. Castillo (Second)
7. Ide (Centre)
8. Takeyama (Catcher)
9. Fujie (Pitcher)

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

Given that Shimoyanagi hasn't pitched well of late and hasn't been able to last long one didn't hope for much from this game. However, the big difference was that he was facing a demoralised BayStars batting lineup who at the moment don't seem to be able to hit with runners on. Shimoyanagi put in his best pitching performance for quite a time and held the BayStars successfully. Their first saw Harper hit to right but Murata flew out to centre to end the innings. Fujie was to have a nightmare - Murton started it all by hitting to left. Hirano bunted him to second. Toritani was next and he lifted the ball deep where it bounced off the join between the fence and the outfield wall - rebounding past centre. Murton sped for home in his usual head back style 1-0 Tigers with Toritani using the bounce to make an easy three base. Next was Arai who with a two - two count drove the ball nicely into centre for a timely hit 2-0 Tigers, runner on first. Things were looking bad for the BayStars already. Brazell got hold of his second pitch and deposited it in the right stand for a two run home run 4-0 Tigers and an ideal start. Kanemoto walked to set up another runner but Johjima struck out. Shunsuke Fujikawa hit to right but the final batter was Shimoyanagi who grounded out. BayStars second started badly for them - Sledge struck out swinging. Castillo hit but then Ide grounded out taking the second to second. Takeyama flew out to end this innings. Tigers second and once again Murton led off with a hit. Hirano managed to mess up the three bunts and was out - a rare mistake for him. Toritani flew out but Arai went to right centre with a nice two base hit. Murton tore round the bases and slid home 5-0 Tigers. Then Brazell hit his first pitch into right centre for another two base, Arai was home 6-0 Tigers. Kanemoto struck out looking to an inside pitch but Tigers were in control yet again. This was the end of Fujie who had been totally out of his depth and hadn't even lasted as long as his last start against the Tigers. BayStars managed to get on the board in their third with a solo home run from Uchikawa 6-1 Tigers but really not enough. That whole innings took only seven pitches as BayStars batters tried to hit out but mostly failed. Tigers third was pitched by Ejiri who handled the bottom of Tigers order very nicely and pitched a 1-2-3 innings.

Murata drew a lead off walk in BayStars fourth but was confined to first as none of the other batters could move him round. Ejiri ran out of steam in Tigers fourth, Murton hit again. Neither Hirano or Toritani did anything but Arai was irrepressible hitting his second home run in two games - an nice shot to left 8-1 Tigers. Brazell also tried to hit out but this time flew out to Takeyama. Tigers were, once again, in complete control. The glimmer of hope for BayStars came in their fifth. Shimoyanagi started to fade and tire. With two out he walked Uchikawa and then Ishikawa hit setting up runners on first and second. However, Harper grounded out to second to end the innings. Sakamoto replaced Ejiri and had an effective fifth innings, Tigers batters falling in order. BayStars sixth saw Shimoyanagi against the BayStars clean up (minus Harper). Murata struck out but Sledge hit. Castillo was next and hit to Hirano who tagged second and threw to first for the double play. Shimoyanagi had pitched well and had kept the BayStars under control. He would retire at the end of the sixth - a sensible decision by Mayumi. He was pinch hit for by Lin who started the Tigers sixth with a two base hit. Murton struck out and Hirano's ground out moved Lin to third but then Toritani flew out to short - no run that time.

For BayStars we saw Fukuhara and why not? A seven run lead is something to be relaxed with and Fukuhara has improved of late. With Ide back on the bench Takeyama hit to right. However, BayStars were once again unable to take advantage of this as the next two batters couldn't do anything to help. Sakamoto having pitched two innings, Katoh replaced him for Tigers seventh. Arai led the innings off with a hit. Brazell flew out to left but Kanemoto hit to right - runners on first and second. Johjima hit to left which loaded the bases, then Shusuke Fujikawa grounded out to second but the double play didn't come off with Shunsuke safe on first. Arai was home 9-1 Tigers with runners on first and third. Sekimoto (pinch hitter) hit to right bringing home another runner 10-1 Tigers, runners on first and third. Finally Sakurai (pinch hitter) hit a deep fly to right but Uchikawa took it running back to end the innings. Egusa pitched BayStars eighth and threw a curates egg of an innings suffering his usual communication problems with Johjima. The two strike outs were very nice but the two walks not so good With two out and runners on first and second Egusa served up a hittable ball to Castillo who hit to left bringing home a runner 10-2 Tigers, runners on first and second. Ide tried to hit to centre and flew out for the final out of the innings. Takamiya started Tigers eighth and was immediately in trouble dead balling Hirano. What is it about Hirano that makes him a dead ball magnet. Toritani grounded out which took Hirano to second spelling the end of Takamiya who was replaced by Fukuda. He faced Arai up for probably his last at bat of the night and needing a three base to hit the cycle. This was not to be and Arai poked one into right for a base hit, runners on first and third. Still five from five with four RBIs is excellent batting. Komiyama (pinch hitter) followed as Mayumi had decided to use him as catcher for the ninth. One can't believe that Mayumi still persists with this folly. Sajikihara was the poor soul who had to pitch to Komiyama who doesn't yet have the knowledge to be a first team catcher. He gave up a lead off hit to Takeyama. The next two batters struck out but then Ishikawa hit to right putting runners on first and second. Matsumoto (replacement left) pulled one to left which brought a runner home 10-3 Tigers and set up runners on second and third. Sajikihara then ignored his catchers calls and struck out Murata to end the game. Tigers victory.

Another fine and comprehensive victory. Once again the BayStars had been abject and once again they had been crushed. Unlike the previous nights game they were never in with a chance in this game which Tigers dominated from start to finish. Mayumi had handled the pitching well but really should be making much better use of Kanoh - his No. 2 catcher. The victory now puts the Tigers 1.5 games ahead of the Giants who could only tie with the Swallows. This whilst nice shouldn't be taken as a cause for celebration. Tigers managed to blow a three game lead earlier so they can't relax their guard at all. The race is still on.