August 21st Messenger v Miura - BayStars can't score

Tigers weren't quite on form enough to beat the BayStars but had more than enough to walk away with a tied game. BayStars though really do have to think seriously about what they want to do. They don't actually lack talent and they had a superb performance from Miura but couldn't score a single run - Messenger gifted them their only run of the game. Two wasted bases loaded situations and Tigers once again out hit, it is no wonder that they're bottom of the league.
This game saw more of the sacrifice bunt and this was both Tigers and BayStars bane. In the top of the ninth, Mayumi had Toritani bunt Hirano to second. As Arthur pointed out in the previous thread it decreases scoring chances but also why are you asking your No. 3 batter to bunt? One of your three batters most likely to drive in runs (and Tigers runs are clustered around Toritani, Arai and Brazell) and he bunts. The next batter flies out but not before just missing out on a home run (and it doesn't matter if the runner is on second or first for one of those). Then we had a situation where it took two outs to move the BayStars runner around to second (both bunts) which really scuppered a chance for a victory run and for the BayStars it would have been a certain victory. Tigers shi no rodo for this week ends with one win, one tie and three losses. Not so good but with only one series to go, Tigers can look forward to Koshien at the weekend. Scores

          1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R  H E
Tigers    1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  0  0 1  7 0
BayStars  0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0  0  0 1 10 0

Starting lineups

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

BayStars
1. Shimozono (Left)
2. Ishikawa (Short)
3. Kinjoh (Right)
4. Murata (Third)
5. Nakamura (First)
6. Watanabe (Second)
7. Yoshimura (Centre)
8. Kurobane (Catcher)
9. Miura (Pitcher)

Once again the weather conditions were not so good during the start of the game and both teams had to struggle with the rain. That being said they did ease off and the teams were able to cope with the conditions better. The game rapidly turned into a pitching duel with both pitchers throwing some fine stuff but with Miura being more like his old self. However, he was vulnerable in Tigers first and gave up a lead off hit to Murton. He was bunted to second by Hirano which of course gave the first out. Toritani hit to right and Murton was able to charge home to score 1-0 Tigers, runner on first. Arai hit his first pitch to right and flew out and then Brazell grounded out to second - it would have been useful to have an extra out here as Tigers could have broken the game open then and there without the bunt. Shimozono started BayStars first by grounding out but Ishikawa hit a two base into right field. This didn't go any further as Kinjoh grounded out to Arai and then Murata flew out to left. Tigers second was quiet - the combination of Miura and Kurobane being too much for Sekimoto,, Kanemoto and Fujii though the latter would wake up later. In BayStars second Watanabe (who smiles a lot and seems to enjoy himself) steered one to left. Next was Yoshimura who in these two games has really looked like a prize idiot swinging at anything struck out swinging. Tigers third saw no one trouble Miura and the batters fell in order. The weather conditions were at their worst by now but play continued. With Miura out to start off BayStars third, Shimozono bounced one high which when it came down was fielded by Toritani. He couldn't get the throw away in time and Shimozono was safe on first. Ishikawa then stroked a nice pitch straight to Toritani for the double play to end the innings. So far Tigers were making a good job of protecting the lead.

Tigers fourth saw Toritani ground out to Nakamura who whilst hopeless with the bat was superbly positioned at first and saved no end of runs. Then Arai and Brazell struck out swinging to end the innings. Unfortunately, for BayStars, their cleanup did exactly the same in the bottom and the game could be said to be finely balanced with the Tigers holding the edge of the one run. It was being played at a terrific pace with innings turning over very rapidly. Tigers fifth was unproductive until Fujii stepped to the plate - he drove past second into centre but the final batter was Messenger. He did try hard but grounded out to end the innings. Watanabe then led off BayStars fifth with a hit and at least no one tried to bunt. Yoshimura flew out to centre and then Kurobane flew out to right. Finally, Miura struck out swinging with Watanabe still on first. Murton led off Tigers sixth with an enormous swing which was taken by Shimozono right next to the wall. Hirano stroked one nicely to left but Toritani flew out to right. Then Arai drove nicely to short but lined out. Shimozono led off BayStars sixth hitting to right - he was able to use the throw to take second. Ishikawa bunted him to third which brought up Kinjoh. He swung at his first pitch which bounced over Messenger to Toritani who fired it to Fujii. Fujii was already crouched down and tagged the sliding Shimozono for the out - a nice piece of fielding. Kinjoh was safe on first and was joined on base when Murata hit to centre - runners on first and second. Once again though the bunt had taken another out and with Nakamura next you could relax. He struck out looking to a fine fork though he thought it should have been called a ball and said so. It didn't make any difference he was still out.

Tigers seventh saw both Sekimoto and Kanemoto work the count full and try hard to work Miura but he was too commanding for that and both succumbed. Messenger returned for BayStars seventh which was a bit of a gamble but a justified one considering how well he had pitched. He got Watanabe to ground out but then with Yoshimura began to drift too high with his placement, a sign that he was tiring. Even so it was a lucky hit by Yoshimura which bounced off the left centre wall for a two base. Harper (pinch hitter) was next and he hit to right breaking his bat which Brazell ducked to avoid. The ball though landed foul and so after picking up a replacement bat Harper went right again, this time successfully - runners on first and third. This would have been a good time to replace Messenger but the chance was passed. Obana had been planning to go with Miura for another innings but the lure of possible runs was too much and he was pinch hit for by Fujita. By now Messenger was really drifting and Fujii was trying to counter this by calling inside pitches. This didn't work well as Messenger hit Fujita on the elbow and loaded the bases. Still Mayumi didn't act and Messenger faced Shimozono. Once again Fujii went for the inside line and once again Messenger was unable to respond sending down four balls in a row oshidashi 1-1 bases loaded. One pitch was close but the others were clear balls and this finally induced Mayumi to act taking off Messenger and bringing on Watanabe. Watanabe induced Shimozono to hit to second off his first pitch. The ball went straight to Fujii for the force out but the double play just failed as Shimozono was able to beat Fujii's throw. Still two outs with one to go. Kinjoh then hit to Toritani for the final out of the innings. BayStars were level but had wasted a chance and Watanabe had done very well - he is pitching superbly at the moment. Fujie took over from Miura and gave up a lead off hit to Fujii. Things looked good but Mayumi insisted on bringing Shibata on to bunt. Shibata's confidence is gradually draining away as he was awful. Two attempts at a bunt failed so Shibata tried to hit and only managed to put it straight to Ishikawa for the double play. Mayumi shook his head in disbelief - it had been a terrible at bat. Murton tried to hit right but only managed to fly out to Naitoh (replacment right) in foul ground and the innings was over. Enokida pitched BayStars eighth, Kobayashi getting a rest day. He faced Murata who swung and put the ball up vertically after which it fell nicely into Fujii's glove. Then Nakamura flew out to right and Watanabe hit straight to Enokida for the final out. Fujie gave up another lead off hit in Tigers ninth - this one to Toritani. Here Mayumi had Toritani bunt - a real waste. Arai swung hard at his second pitch which flew along the third baseline but was just foul and then flew out to first. Brazell was deliberately walked and then Fujie was replaced by Ohhara. He faced Hiyama who hit to right where the ball was intercepted by the nicely positioned Nakamura for the final out. Mayumi showed great sense in using Fujikawa for BayStars ninth. He struck out the three batters he faced and in fact was two pitches off a perfect innings, he was that dominant. Yoshimura was totally fooled as were Naitoh and Ikki (pinch hitter).

The game moved into extra time and Obana deployed his star closer for Tigers tenth. He retired the batters in order. Mayumi had intended to use Fujikawa for BayStars tenth but then thought better of it and sent Fukuhara to the mound (I am not sure that thought better is the right term). Shimozono hit to left and Ishikawa tried to bunt. After two failed attempts and some admittedly very crafty pitching from Fukuhara he decided to swing and fell into the trap so lovingly set striking out swinging. Really intelligent pitching and very stupid batting. Next was Hosoyamada (replacement catcher) who did bunt. Obana has nothing if not a one track mind. So two outs down and a runner on second - the situation favoured Tigers. Tigers decided to deliberately walk Murata to get at Nakamura. It wasn't listed as a deliberate walk as Fujii squatted down but deliberate walk it was. Nakamura though surprised everyone by hitting to right to load the bases. Things looked dangerous - well not quite, Tigers still held the advantage and Watanabe never really got to grips with Fukuhara and flew out to Brazell to end the innings. Tigers first two were down in the eleventh when Toritani steered one high and inside the foul pole. The ball though didn't have the momentum to get over the fence and bounced off the top of the wall for a two base hit. It needed Arai to do something but he hit to first where Nakamura fielded securely for the ground out. Fukuhara returned for BayStars ninth and struck out Yoshimura who looked especially stupid swinging at a wide out swinger. Then Mayumi brought on Kojima for the final two outs. Kojima started by walking Naitoh but struck out Inada (pinch hitter). Two outs down, one more to go and this proved to Shimozono who grounded out to short to end the game. Tied game.

Tigers could have scored more runs but then so could the BayStars. The result suited the Tigers more than BayStars whose inability to score was disturbing. Both teams had wasted chances through the stupid use of bunts in unnecessary situations. We also saw some head sliding dives - these look spectacular and Hirano in particular is fond of this style but it is dangerous and as the guest on the previous thread points out not as effective as the leg sliding approach. Just to add to the foolishness there is talk of bringing Shimoyanagi back up - please no. It is either him or Akiyama, lets have the younger pitcher back in the rotation. So a good set of games against the BayStars for Tigers which will help them as they take on Giants for the final shi no rodo series.