August 5th Nohmi v Bullington - Swept by the Carp

What can one say? Things get worse and worse with Tigers floundering helplessly under a clueless and inept management team. Carp were not so much better as just doing the right things at the right time. Tigers were listless, disinterested and just going through the motions. We saw Zarate's first game in the top team and he didn't look particularly ready. Whilst a lot of this must be attributable to first game nerves there was a question mark over his pitching which lacked an appreciation of the bottom of the zone. In other words he was too low a lot of the time. It was an inauspicious debut. Scores

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

Starting lineups

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

Carp
1. Akamatsu (Centre)
2. Kikuchi (Second)
3. Soyogi (Short)
4. Eldred (First)
5. Dobayashi (Third)
6. Mukae (Left)
7. Hirose (Right)
8. Kura (Catcher)
9. Bullington (Pitcher)

Bullington would not be at his best and struggle his way through six innings but have enough when it mattered. Hirano started the game with a single. Yamato laid down the usual pointless bunt to move Hirano to second. Toritani's ground out took Hirano to third but Tigers were running out of batters especially as the under performing Takahiro Arai struck swinging to a change up to end the innings. Nohmi started poorly with Akamatsu banging a two base hit into left field. He was bunted to third by Kikuchi and then Soyogi hit to Hirano who was standing in. Hirano went to make the throw to home and completely messed it up allowing Akamatsu to make home 1-0 Carp, runner on first. Soyogi tried to steal second and given his later performance, Fujii's throw out was a complete surprise. Fujii looked sluggish and slow to react throughout the game and was eventually replaced after the sixth. Eldred was the final out striking out swinging. Carp had the lead but it was only the first innings. Kanemoto then surprised everyone hitting a double into the left corner. Murton managed to ground out to first which took Kanemoto round to third - Tigers still had a chance to level the score. Ryota Arai though managed to strike out looking and then Fujii struck out swinging. Bullington had done well here. Carp's second was quiet with the batters falling in order, Dobayashi and Mukae both striking out. Hirano walked in Tigers third with one out but then no one moved him round with Yamato being the final out striking out looking. Bullington despite his struggles had more than enough to stop a demoralized Tigers side. At this stage Nohmi was also pitching quite well. Carp's third saw the batters in order. It was interesting to observe the interaction between Fujii and Nohmi. Fujii kept on talking to Nohmi who seemed to be answering in monosyllables and almost treating the catcher with disdain.

Tigers fourth saw Takahiro Arai lead off by popping up to centre. Kanemoto worked a walk but then both Murton and Ryota Arai struck out swinging. They didn't seem to know what they were doing. Bullington though was working hard for his outs. Kikuchi led off Carp's fourth with a smart single to centre. Then Soyogi bunted him to second. This is one of those bizarre decisions which Japanese managers love. Soyogi is a batter with 40 RBIs so he has been hitting - why waste the out on a pointless bunt? Eldred struck out swinging and then thankfully for Carp, Nohmi and Fujii could not get the third out. Dobayashi walked which brought up Mukae. A poor call put the ball into an eminently hittable position and Mukae hit smoothly into left centre for a timely double. Carp are fast round the bases and so Dobayashi also made home 3-0 Carp, runner on second. Hirose hit to short for the final out but you felt that the game was over. To his credit Fujii led off Tigers fifth with a single. He was bunted to second by Nohmi but then neither Hirano nor Yamato could have been said to have made much effort to move him round. In Carp's fifth we saw Akamatsu single nicely to left with two out but Kikuchi grounded out to short. Conditions at the ground were very humid and the players were sweating heavily. Toritani led off Tigers sixth with a single - a chance for Tigers with a tiring pitcher. Takahiro Arai flew out deep to right and then Kanemoto flew high and shallow to left. Finally, Murton hit to centre where Akamatsu took a competent catch to end the innings. Carp's sixth saw more problems for the Tigers. With Soyogi out, Eldred singled left. He was pinch run for by Nakahigashi who stole second. The move was telegraphed but Fujii didn't bother even trying to throw - he was looking slow. With two out Mukae took a swing at his first pitch and lofted it along the third baseline. It looked home run all the way but just died and drifted foul at the very end. A lucky escape for Tigers. It was only a stay of execution as Mukae split third and short to single in the run 4-0 Carp, runner on first. Hirose hit a liner to second for the final out.

Bullington didn't return for Tigers seventh. He had done well but had had to work very hard. He was replaced by Sarfate for what was to prove Carp's greatest challenge. Ryota Arai flew out to left but then Imanari (pinch hitter and replacement catcher) singled. Asai (pinch hitter and replacement centre) flew out to short and Carp had two outs. Then Hirano walked and Sarfate was quickly pulled and replaced by Kawauchi. He, at first, didn't seem to be much of an improvement, walking Hiyama (pinch hitter) to load the bases. Toritani was next and with the count at 1 and 2 skied one to left to end the innings. For Carp's seventh we saw Zarate's debut and it wasn't very good. He started by walking Kura and then gave up a single to Iwamato - runners on first and second with no outs. It must be said that Imanari wasn't exactly inspiring in his calling which makes one wonder why he was preferred to Komiyama. Akamatsu bunted to third and Zarate ran over picked up the ball and dropped it - the bases were loaded. Kikuchi hit right which brought in two runs 6-0 Carp, runners on first and third. Then Soyogi hit deep to right for the sacrifice fly 7-0 Carp, runner on first. Zarate balked sending the runner to second - this definitely wasn't a good start to his career. Higashide (replacement second) grounded out to Hirano taking Kikuchi to third but finally Dobayashi struck out looking to a fine pitch to end the innings. Zarate had buried Tigers already slender chances. Imai pitched Tigers eighth and had to fight hard to get Kanemoto but neither Takahiro Arai nor Murton put up much struggle. Tsuru pitched Carp's eighth and gave up a single to Hirose with one out. Kura then hit into a double play - the ball going to Tsuru then HIrano and Takahiro Arai at first for the end of the innings. Yokoyama was the pitcher for Tigers ninth and found everything rather straightforward. A demoralized Tigers side surrendered tamely to end the game. Carp victory.

Tigers have now lost four in a row and are 15 games under .500 for the first time since 2001 (thanks for that stat Gen). One is hoping for Wada and his team to be all afflicted with some illness which allows them to retire and make way for someone with management and coaching ability. Certainly the season is a long haul but it seems clear enough that Wada doesn't have management skills and importantly lacks motivational skills as well. The team just doesn't care, particularly in away games. Tigers next series is at Tokyo Dome against the Giants - one can hope they feel motivated by playing their old enemy and they perform nearer their potential.