October 10th Nohmi v Nishimura - Tigers win despite Mayumi

The team managed to overcome Mayumi's poor management this game and produce a well worked victory over the old enemy. In the end the Tigers mistakes were not so important and they kept on scoring runs which was just as well. Murton is now closing down on another long standing record - that of the number of consecutive games with a hit and one hopes he can get there. There are worrying signs with Watanabe who looks very tired. Watching the bullpen warm up yesterday (on TV) one was shocked by his body language. He really looked exhausted and his pitching showed this. He shouldn't have been used this game and Enokida should have started the eighth but Mayumi messed up. Bringing Fujii on was also a big mistake - up until the seventh Tigers had done well with only one screw up. Komiyama calling and handling things well. Fujii changed the flavour of the game and almost let the Giants back in. Mayumi's use of pinch hitters was also strange and the bunt was overused more so than normal. But the players came through and Tigers are now 6 from 7 in this endless run in. Scores

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

Starting lineups

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

Giants
1. Sakamoto (Short)
2. Terauchi (Second)
3. Chono (Centre)
4. Abe (Catcher)
5. Ramirez (Left)
6. Takahashi (First)
7. Tani (Right)
8. Wakiya (Third)
9. Nishimura (Pitcher)

Tigers started quietly though both Shibata and Toritani were able to work the count full. Unfortunately, it availed them nothing. Giants first was also quiet - both teams were feeling each other out and both pitchers determined to do well. Tigers second was also quiet and no one seemed to be able to break down Nishimura. Giants though sprang to life in their second. With Abe having struck out Ramirez hit one straight back past Nohmi into centre. Takahashi flew out to Komiyama and then Tani hit left. This was a good move as Ramirez used Kanemoto's weak arm to take third and Giants were in a promising situation. Wakiya tried to hit but grounded out to second and Giants had wasted their first chance. Tigers third was quiet with the batters falling in order. Nishimura had been perfect so far but that was not such a problem as he normally goes later in his session. Giants third was quiet as well but so far the Giants had had the better of the action and you felt that they had the edge.

Tigers fourth started in much the same fashion as the previous three innings with the first two outs falling easily. Nishimura was confident and perhaps too confident because he was a bit too casual against Toritani who worked a walk. Arai followed and Nishimura let go a pitch which Abe managed to miss - a wild pitch which took Toritani to second. It wasn't so much Nishimura as Abe who made the mistake; the latter should have taken the pitch. Arai then walked and Tigers had runners on first and second for the first time in the game. Brazell was next and hit a grounder to second to end the innings. Giants fourth saw Nohmi without such problems. The batters fell in order with a superb catch by Shibata ending the innings. Ramirez hit deep and Shibata had to run back and jump taking the ball over his shoulder and hitting the wall as he landed. He held on and his teammates lined up to congratulate him as he came off the field. It was an impressive piece of fielding from a much improved player. Tigers fifth was quiet with Murton again missing the elusive hit. Kanemoto was no great shakes this game and the Giants still had the edge. With Takahashi out again Tani had his second hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Then Wakiya hit to right and Tani showed a good turn of pace to reach third. This brought up Nishimura who shaped to bunt. Hara was going for the squeeze and this was poorly handled by the Tigers. Nishimura laid down a nice sharp bunt along the first baseline and Nohmi went for it. Komiyama who should have stayed blocking the plate allowed himself to be drawn to the right and so as Tani came in was in no position to make the tag if he had had the ball. Instead the throw went to first for the out 1-0 Giants, runner on second. If Nohmi had thrown to Komiyama and if Komiyama had stayed on the plate it would have been a straightforward tag with no run scored. The Swallows/Dragons game in Nagoya the same night had a brace of examples of successful tagouts which Komiyama would do well to study. Sakamoto was deliberately walked to get at Terauchi who flew out to Murton to end the innings. Tigers response was commendable and quick. Nohmi led off Tigers sixth and struck out but Hirano hit to centre. He was bunted to second by Shibata in the first of a succession of pointless bunts. Toritani hit into right centre and Hirano was home 1-1 scores tied, runner on second. Then came Arai who hit nicely over Sakamoto for a single bringing in Toritani 2-1 Tigers, runner on first. Brazell walked to set up runners on first and second and Hara decided on a pitching change bringing on Ochi who got Murton to ground out to third and end the innings. Giants sixth started with Chono flying out - one out down. Then Abe drove a two base hit into right centre. Ramirez flew out in foul ground and finally Takahashi (who did not have a good game) struck out swinging to end the innings.

Tigers seventh saw Kanemoto draw a walk from Ochi. He was pinch run for by Shunsuke and Komiyama was instructed to bunt. The pick up and throw from Ochi was good but first dropped the ball as Komiyama ran in to set up runners on first and second with no outs. This was a good moment for Tigers and the next batter, Uemoto (pinch hitter) bunted the runners to second and third. This brought a pitching change with Takagi taking over. One out down and Hirano next with the possibility of a sacrifice. Takagi couldn't handle the pressure and Hirano was able to stroke one nicely into left for two run timely single 4-1 Tigers, runner on first. Shibata then bunted Hirano to second - a waste of an out. Toritani hit to third where Wakiya had to come in and throw and wasn't quick enough to beat the Tigers short to first. Next was Arai who hit nicely into centre but a smart pick up and throw by Terauchi worked the force out for Giants to end the innings. Fukuhara pitched Giants seventh and started with a lead off hit to Tani. Tani was forced out by Wakiya's short ground out - a nice piece of fielding by Toritani but he couldn't get the throw away in time. Kamei hit to second were Hirano dived and threw to first for the second out with Wakiya on second. Then Sakamoto tried to hit his first pitch into right only to line out to Hirano. Fukuda pitched Tigers eighth and like all the Giants relief was soon in trouble. Brazell led off with a single to right and was pinch run for by Yamato. Then Murton hit comfortably to right for the necessary hit to keep his streak going and to put runners on first and second. Shunsuke bunted the runners to second and third with Hiyama (pinch hitter) next. Mayumi had decided to use Fujii as catcher for the final two innings. Not a very clever move as events would show. Hiyama struck out swinging which brought up Sekimoto (pinch hitter). He hit nicely into right bringing home both runners 6-1 Tigers but Sekimoto then drifted too far beyond first and was tagged out to end the innings. This was very slack but Tigers had a good margin. Giants eighth was pitched by Watanabe who was paired with Fujii. Watanabe didn't look good and struggled. Fujii's calling was as substandard as ever. Fujimura (pinch hitter and replacement second) walked to lead off the innings. Then Chono hit to right and Giants had runners on first and second. Here it dawned on Mayumi that Watanabe wasn't in good condition and Enokida was brought on to replace him. Enokida had to struggle with Fujii who's calling was strange to say the least. He ended up walking Abe to load the bases with no outs. This was a dangerous situation to say the least. Ramirez hit to centre where the ball was taken by Shibata who couldn't prevent the sacrifice 6-2 Tigers, runners on first and third. Yano (pinch hitter) hit to centre bringing in Chono 6-3 Tigers, runners on first and second. Next was Tani whose hitting deserted him and he flew out to Fujii for the second out. Finally Wakiya faced Enokida who struck him out swinging to escape the innings. Giants had scored two runs but it hadn't been enough. The pitcher for Tigers ninth was Albaladejo. He got Hirano to fly out to left - Hirano hitting too hard. Next was Shibata who hit to right and then tore round the bases to second. His pace was blistering and more would be seen later in the innings. Toritani grounded out to third and then Giants deliberately walked Arai and why not? The next batter was Yamato not Brazell. As Yamato swung Shibata set off to steal third. The move was telegraphed and Abe's throw was good but Shibata was just too fast and beat the throw for a successful steal. At last we are seeing use of Shibata's speed - it's taken too long and needs to be used more often. Tigers had runners on first and third but Yamato grounded out to second justifying the move to walk Arai. Giants ninth was pitched by a more confident careful Fujikawa. He too had problems with Fujii's calling but did well getting all three batters he faced to fly out but the final out was nearly a disaster. Both Shibata and Shunsuke went for the ball which was in no mans land and neither pulled back. Shibata took the catch but did bump into Shunsuke who looked rather displeased. Tigers victory.

Tigers can't be beaten by the Giants now - a tie in the series is the worst possibility. They also have a chance of reaching third and are playing well enough to do so. Whatever the result, Mayumi still needs to go - his handling of this game was inept and showed a lack of awareness of his players condition. He should have known that Watanabe was under the weather but he was as clueless as ever.