September 14th Iwata v Sugiuchi - Iwata blunders

One thing the management discussion focused on was the older players and Brazell. About the only information to emerge was the likelihood that Hiyama would remain next season. As a premier pinch hitter his age was not an issue for Tigers management. Kanemoto had never liked the pinch hitter role and so wasn't likely to make the transition.
The result of this game can only describe this as a mistake by Iwata. He had pitched so well up until the seventh and even then with two outs was close to escaping the innings. Previously Komiyama had brought him inside - a highly effective huge curve ball which had Sakamoto all tied up and swinging wildly. Komiyama wanted another of those as the strike out ball. Instead Iwata produced a shuto in the middle of the zone. Sakamoto's hit didn't get very high but had considerable momentum and was easily a home run. Iwata tipped his head back to look at the top of Tokyo Dome - he knew he had gotten it wrong. He also knew he had blown the game. Scores

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

Starting lineups

Tigers
1. Uemoto (Second)
2. Yamato (Centre)
3. Toritani (Short)
4. Ryota Arai (Third)
5. Murton (Left)
6. Takahiro Arai (First)
7. Shunsuke (Right)
8. Komiyama (Catcher)
9. Iwata (Pitcher)

Giants
1. Chono (Centre)
2. Fujimura (Second)
3. Sakamoto (Short)
4. Abe (Catcher)
5. Murata (Third)
6. Yano (Right)
7. Ogasawara (First)
8. Tani (Left)
9. Sugiuchi (Pitcher)

Sugiuchi started poorly with Uemoto hitting to right centre and getting to second. Wada then showed his quality by having Yamato bunt Uemoto to third. Toritani walked to set up runners on first and third and then stole second. Abe missing the signal and failing to make the throw. Ryota Arai was next and broke his bat trying to hit left. The ball bounced to Murata who was able to throw to first for the out - Toritani staying on second. Uemoto meanwhile charged home 1-0 Tigers. Next was Murton who slammed the ball deep to left for a timely double 2-0 Tigers. Takahiro Arai could only ground out to second. Giants would challenge Iwata throughout the game without quite being able to break through. With one out in the first Fujimura singled to third beating the slow Ryota Arai. Then Sakamoto worked a walk - runners on first and second. Abe flew out to right which moved Fujimura round to third but Murata who can often be relied on to screw up popped up to second to end the innings. Sugiuchi remembered that he was pitching in a Tigers Giants match for the championship and produced a much better performance in Tigers second. He got the batters to fall in order striking out Komiyama and Iwata. Iwata dismissed the first two batters in Giants second but then Tani singled. However, Sugiuchi was next and he duly grounded out to short. Tigers third saw Uemoto fail but this time Yamato produced the double. Toritani grounded out to short which put Yamato on third. Once again it was down to Ryota Arai who hitting on his less favoured side - the right - flew out and wasted a chance to put the Tigers out of reach. With one out in Giants third, Fujimura singled to second, beating the fielder to first. Sakamoto flew out but Abe produced a right line hit to put runners on first and third. Once again Murata failed - hitting to short this time and endign the innings.

Murton led off Tigers fourth with a walk but Takahiro Arai flew out. Then Shunsuke hit into a straight forward double play and that innings was over. Giants fourth was quiet and the batters fell easily to Iwata. In Tigers fifth Komiyama and Iwata both grounded out but then Uemoto singled left. He stole second and the throw from Abe was poor with Sakamoto missing the take. Uemoto scrambled to his feet and took third. This was a great chance but Yamato blew it flying out to short to end the innings. Iwata was supremely confident in Giants fifth. He was faced with the bottom of the order and was able to retired them without allowing a base runner. The game was looking promisingly like a Tigers victory. The storms had been weathered and Iwata could revel in the control he had established. This was fortunate as Tigers were doing nothing with the bat. The sixth was like the fifth - totally without incident except for the batters getting out. Giants sixth and a reminder that they were still dangerous. Sakamoto struck out looking to some fine pitching. Abe singled left and then Murata slammed a two base hit deep into left - runners on second and third. Yano hit a grounder to short and of course Toritani threw to home where Komiyama was able to tag out Abe coming in for home. Ogasawara then swung and popped up to short and the innings was over.

Tigers seventh was a piece of incompetence in the classic Wada mould. Takahiro Arai led the innings off with a double to right centre - a classic Arai shot. What did Wada have Shunsuke do - he had him bunt Arai to third. Then Wada instructed Komiyama to execute a squeeze. This was sheer folly, Giants; the most proficient team in Japan were ready for this. The pitch from Sugiuchi was vicious and popped up from Komiyama's bat into the glove of Abe. Abe whipped the ball to third in time to beat Arai's attempt to reach safety for the double play and the third out. Wada had wasted a potential run - instead of having Komiyama try to squeeze he should have let Komiyama ground out or fly out deep and Arai would have scored on the sacrifice. The stupidity of the bunt would cost Tigers the game. Giants seventh started with a two base hit to Tani. Terauchi (pinch hitter) grounded out to third which kept Tani on second. Chono worked a walk and then Fujimura hit a grounder to second. The double play didn't come off, only the force out - runners on first and third but two outs. Sakamoto was next and here we saw Iwata's mistake. It was all so unnecessary, Iwata with his inside curve had demonstrated the way to go. Komiyama had called for another one but why Iwata felt the need to go outside on a 2-2 count is a mystery. Sakamoto's home run hit was powerful and devastating 3-2 Giants. Abe singled left and Wada decided that enough was enough and brought Watanabe on. He gave up a single to centre to Murata which put runners on the corner. This brought another pitching change with Katoh being brought on to clean up the mess. He got Takahashi to ground out to short and end the innings. At 3-2 Tigers were still in with a chance but the eighth was a disaster. Yamaguchi got Sekimoto to strike out swinging and he must be one of the players under consideration for the axe. Uemoto grounded out to second but Yamato hit to Yamaguchi who couldn't hold and deflected the ball away from the field - runner on first and chance for Toritani to do something. He grounded out to short and the innings was finished. Tsutsui pitched Giants eighth and worked well with Komiyama striking out Tani looking in retiring the three batters. Tigers ninth was pitched by Nishimura. This turned out to be a formality with Ryota Arai flying out to right and then Hirano and Takahiro Arai both struck out swinging to end the game. Giants victory.

This game had turned on two incidents. Wada's idiot squeeze and Iwata's mistake in the seventh. Tigers still have to win a game at 'Gomido' (Tokyo Dome) this season and can only be said to have wasted this opportunity. Too much what iffery can lead to disappointment but here it is valid. What if Iwata had followed Komiyama's call for an inside curve? Tigers are going to struggle against the Giants in the next two games as the Giants are the better team at the moment.