May 24th Shimoyanagi v Nishiguchi - A win

This game replaced the rain canceled game scheduled for the 23rd. Bringing Shimoyanagi back up can only be said to be a retrograde step and he didn't figure in the decision. Tigers snapped their four game losing streak and scored their first RBI in 47 innings. They also managed to string together a series of hits something that has been rare this season. Scores

        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R  H E
Lions   0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 3  8 0
Tigers  0 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 X 5 12 1

Starting lineups

Lions
1. Kataoka (Second)
2. Kuriyama (Centre)
3. Nakajima (Short)
4. Nakamura (Third)
5. Fernandez (First)
6. Asamura (Left)
7. Akiyama (Right)
8. Sumitani (Catcher)
9. Nishiguchi (Pitcher)

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

Kataoka started proceedings off by hitting to centre but then Kuriyama hit into a double play. Nakajima grounded out to Arai and the Lions first was over. Hirano didn't hit but did the next best thing which was draw a walk. Shunsuke bunted him to second and then Murton hit to left to set up runners on first and third. However, Arai finished it all off by hitting into a double play to end the innings and the chance. Lions second was quiet with everyone flying out. Johjima hit in Tigers second and made second on Nishiguchi's balk. Uemoto struck out swinging and that chance was also missed - still at least Tigers were generating chances. Lions third was also quiet but in Tigers third Hirano hit with one out. A ground out took him to second but once again Tigers failed to execute, the culprit this time being Murton who hit the ball straight to Nakajima to end the innings.

So far Tigers had had the best of the action but had not exploited it. This was all set to change in the Lions fourth with Kataoka hitting to left and stealing second. Kuriyama hit to left putting the ball over Kanemoto for a timely two base hit 1-0 Lions, runner on second. Nakajima hit to centre bringing Kuriyama home 2-0 LIons, runner on first. Nakajima tried to steal second but was thrown out. Nakamura struck out but Fernandez hit to centre. Finally Asamura also struck out to end the innings. Tigers response was prompt and appropriate. Arai led off the innings driving the ball over the fence for a solo home run 2-1 Lions. Kanemoto walked as Nishiguchi's pitching began to fall apart. Johjima hit to right setting up runners on first and second with no outs. Brazell hit to centre putting his hit over Kuriyama for a timely two base hit 2-2 scores tied, runners on second and third (none of the runners involved are speed merchants) with no outs. Uemoto hit to right for the sacrifice fly 3-2 Tigers, runner on third. This was the end of Nishiguchi who was replaced by Hoshino. He couldn't do anything to stem the runs. He walked Toritani (pinch hitter) and then HIrano hit to right bringing home another run 4-2 Tigers, runners on first and second. Hoshino exited to be replaced by HIrano. He got Shunsuke to fly out but a wild pitch took the runners to second and third. Finally, Murton grounded out to end the innings which had been very effective for Tigers. Mayumi decided not to risk Shimoyanagi for Lions fifth but instead sent Kojima to the mound. Maybe he could have left Shimoyanagi on because Kojima didn't do too well. Akiyama led off with a hit to left. Sumitani bunted him to second but another out seemed to have killed off the chance. Kataoka though hit to left bringing the runner home 4-3 Tigers, runner on first. Kataoke then tried to steal second but this time was thrown out to end the innings. Hirano continued into Tigers fifth and gave up a hit to Kanemoto but nothing came of this and Kanemoto stayed on second. Kojima, perhaps surprisingly, returned for Lions sixth and struck out Kuriyama. He was then replaced by Fukuhara. It is interesting that Mayumi feels he can't trust his elite relief and is reduced to using the second liner relievers to protect a lead. Fukuhara struck out Nakajima but then Hirano messed up a ground out and the batter, Nakamura was able to make second on the error. Fernandez also hit to second but this time HIrano made no mistake and the third out was in the bag. Hirano pitched Tigers sixth and kept things tight retiring the batters in order.

Enokida pitched the Lions seventh and looked very effective retiring the batters in order. In Tigers seventh Murton took a hit off Hirano's replacement Hsu but Tigers couldn't develop this further. Kataoka faced a similar situation in Lions eighth - hitting with one out but getting no further than first. Tigers eighth and Brazell hit Hsu to right. Uemoto bunted him to second which all seemed a bit pointless then Hiyama (pinch hitter) hit to set up runners on first and third. One does feel that Tigers running is too conservative though Brazell is not the fastest runner by a long shot. This was the end of Hsu who was replaced by Graman. He immediately gave up a timely hit to the irrepressible Hirano and Brazell was home 5-3 Tigers, runners on first and third with two outs. Shunsuke walked to load the bases but Murton couldn't convert yet again. Lions ninth was Kyuji who retired the batters smoothly to the the game. Tigers victory.

Tigers had done quiet well. Whilst not running away with the game they had played much better. Murton needs to hit with runners on - last year he hit 91 RBIs but this year his production has been down.