October 5th Nohmi v Tateyama - More winning ways

The struggles at Kyocera Dome continued for the Swallows. Tigers were able to force a tight victory on the back of a fine pitching performance by Nohmi. Amazingly, he wasn't overpitched but this is possibly just by chance rather than by planning. Komiyama was the catcher for most of the match with Fujii taking over and almost messing up the eighth. It brought Kyuji in for more than one innings for the first time this season. Scores

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

Starting lineups

Swallows
1. Aoki (Centre)
2. Noguchi (Third)
3. Kawabata (Short)
4. Hatakeyama (First)
5. Balentien (Right)
6. Tanaka (Second)
7. Iihara (Left)
8. Aikawa (Catcher)
9. Tateyama (Pitcher)

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

Nohmi started by getting Aoki and Noguchi to fly out. Then Kawabata hit. Hatakeyama also hit to right but as Kawabata tried to take third he was thrown out to end the innings. Tateyama started with a two out hit to Toritani but then Arai grounded out to short. He does waste a lot of chances sometimes. Iihara managed a two out hit in Swallows second which must have been a surprise as he doesn't hit often but Aikawa grounded out to first. Murton hit in Tigers second with one out only to be extinguished by a Kanemoto double play. Tateyama struck out looking to lead off Swallows third. Aoki walked and then Noguchi was called on to bunt. This took the runner to second but Kawabata flew out to left. Rather a waste of an out. Tigers third saw Hirano hit with two out but Shibata failed to do anything. Despite the runners on base the pitchers were controlling the game very nicely and no-one was able to get runners on early enough to work round.

The fourth was a quiet innings with even the relief of runners on not happening. No one got on base in Swallows fifth. Swallows really don't like Kyocera Dome but Tigers weren't having much joy either. The Tigers fifth was a quiet innings with no runner getting on base either and Tateyama throwing some very nice stuff. Hatakeyama drew a two out walk in Swallows sixth but Balentien couldn't do anything about it. Shibata managed a two out hit in Tigers sixth and like everything so far nothing came of it.

Iihara managed a one out walk in Swallows seventh - the hits had dried up but the walks were still coming. Aikawa flew out to centre and the last batter Tateyama grounded out. Iihara hadn't moved from first. Arai struck out to lead off Tigers seventh and then Brazell hit to right. He was pinch run for by Yamato in an attempt to inject some life into the game. This had the desired effect. Murton hit left and Tigers had runners on first and third. Then Kanemoto singled to right 1-0 Tigers, runners on first and third. Hiyama (pinch hitter) flew out to centre but not far enough for the conservative coaches to risk a run and then Sekimoto (pinch hitter) grounded out to Tateyama to end the innings. Tigers had a slender lead and needed to hold it. The omens were not encouraging, Fujii took over the catching duties and Enokida the pitching duties. Aoki grounded out but Noguchi singled. Kawabata flew out to centre and then Mayumi decided to use Fujikawa for the final out. Whilst Kyuji was pitching to Hatakeyama Noguchi stole second but it didn't help and Hatakeyama grounded out to third to end the innings. It had been a wise move by Mayumi to switch to Fujikawa and one wondered what had prompted it. Tateyama returned for Tigers eighth - a mistake as it turned out. With one out Shibata hit a two base to right. Toritani then hit a three base into the right centre gap bringing home Shibata 2-0 Tigers, runner on third. Next was Arai who singled to centre and Toritani was home 3-0 Tigers, runner on first. Yamato (replacement third, Arai having replaced Brazell at first) and Murton both flew out to centre to end the innings but Tigers had a nice cushion and had scored at the ideal time. Kyuji pitched Swallows ninth and retired the batters in order to end the game. It was very clinical and just what was needed. Tigers victory.

Tigers had won two in a row and taken a series from the Swallows. Kyuji picked up his 35th save and Nohmi the win. Nohmi now stands at 9-9. Arai has now reached 80 RBIs and Toritani 46. It is nice to win a series but Tigers haven't played well enough in other series for a Climax Series place. They need to work harder.