June 5th Enokida v Nogami - Much better handling of the endgame

First the nice news - Nohmi picked up the Central League's MVP award for May. Slightly surprising but very welcome. Now the bizarre news - there was talk of Tsuru being made scapegoat for the four doubles in Hawks fifth during the previous game. One can't say one is impressed with Wada's reasoning on this matter either. All Tsuru did was follow his catcher's directions and if anyone is to blame for that particular debacle it is Fujii. Incidentally, and in an echo of the old style British Army (demonstrated incompetence results in promotion to a higher level) Fujii was promoted to sixth in the batting order. A really big WHAT? is in order here. He's a useful batter at the bottom of the order but not in a position which needs more than the occasional double. He didn't produce any doubles this game but just a couple of singles - so what? There has been no evidence of any aptitude for a higher batting position and one thought that this would have registered with our 'management' team. Scores

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

Starting Lineups

Lions
1. Akiyama (Centre)
2. Kataoka (Second)
3. Kuriyama (Left)
4. Asamura (First)
5. German (Third)
6. Kimura (Right)
7. Yamasaki (Short)
8. Sumitani (Catcher)
9. Nogami (Pitcher)

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

Tigers need to win tight games like this and the result is very much to their credit. Lions would start slowly with two outs going down before Kuriyama singled to centre. Asamura hit to Ryota who fumbled the take allowing the runners to reach first and second. Then German walked to load the bases with Enokida trying to use the upper corner when he couldn't. Nakamura went for the big hit but missed and struck out swinging. Tigers first was depressing with Nishioka and Yamato striking out and then Toritani grounding out to first. In the Lions second the bottom of the order failed to make an impression but Lions had recycled the team in two innings. Tigers first hit came in their second - a two out single to left from Fujii. Ryota could only ground out and the innings was scoreless. Kataoka singled in Lions third with one out. Then Enokida dead balled Kuriyama with a rather wild inside effort. Asamura obligingly hit into a double play though and saved Tigers blushes at some rather pedestrian pitching. Tigers completed their third with no one getting on base. Nogami was keeping things pretty tight though a lot of balls were going to waste.

Lions continued to hit in their fourth and this time it was a lead off hit to German. He was bunted to second by Nakamura, time to relax. Yamasaki popped up to second but Fujii had to make things difficult and walked Sumitani to get at Nogami. This duly produced the third out but with a runner on first only can be classified as a distinct over reaction. Yamato led off Tigers fourth with a walk and then made second on a wild pitch. Murton also walked, Toritani having struck out but both Arai and Fujii managed to strike out looking to end the innings. Enokida had been living dangerously and with one out in Lions fifth gave up a single to Kataoka which looped over the infield into the left outfield. Kuriyama failed but Asamura responded exactly as the Lions wanted. Getting hold of a poor pitch - a slow inside straight he put the ball into the left stand for a two run home run 2-0 Lions. German was final out - flying out in foul ground. Tigers responded well with Ryota doubling to lead off the innings. We then saw a bunt to take him to third from Shibata but Wada did not intend to use Enokida but sent Imanari to pinch hit. Imanari hit deep enough for the sacrifice fly 2-1 Lions. Nishioka flew out to centre to end the innings. Watanabe took over pitching duties for Lions sixth and was much improved retiring the batters in order. Tigers could attack from this base and they did so the very next innings. With one out Toritani walked and then stole second. Murton doubled left to bring in the run 2-2 scores tied and a much better way to score than a bunt and a sacrifice fly - Tigers still had options. Arai walked and then Fujii singled. Unfortunately it wasn't far enough for Murton to reach home just third and load the bases. Ryota struck out swinging which was a disappointment and then Shibata flew out to centre. Still the lead had been extinguished which was very welcome.

Katoh pitched the Lions seventh and gave up a single to centre to Akiyama. Kataoka also went for centre but succeeded in flying out only. Kuriyama did the same and suddenly the innings was over. Tigers seventh was pitched by Wakui and saw Yamato single neatly to left with two outs. Toritani only managed to hit straight into the arms of short and end the innings. Andoh took over for Lions eighth and gave up a one out single to German. Onizaki (pinch hitter) just batted the ball back to Andoh who has always been aware and was so again; throwing to second for the double play to end the innings. Ohishi pitched Tigers eighth and started by striking out Murton. Arai also struck out and Fujii flew out in foul ground. The ninth beckoned and it was a disaster for the Lions with all three batters falling in order. Ohishi continued into Tigers ninth and faced Ryota. Ryota tripled - rounding the bases very, very well to slide in safely. Tigers had a great opportunity. Wada replaced Ryota with a pinch runner, Araki. Shibata flew out to left but not far enough it seems and one wonders why Wada had used a pointless pinch runner. Next was Hiyama and there was no way Lions were going to test his bat out. He was deliberately walked which also set up a double play chance - there is a good use of a deliberate walk. Ohishi though wasn't up to the challenge. Facing Nishioka he threw a high straight (a decent speed) for his third pitch. This was the ball Nishioka had been waiting for and he curved it gently over the infield into right for a sayonara single 3-2 Tigers. Tigers victory.

Nice work by Tigers - of course they are stronger at Koshien but to change starters before Enokida did too much damage was a good move. Tigers pegged Lions back and Lions couldn't really handle Tigers relief. The win went to Andoh and Nishioka took the hero interview. Fujii at sixth cannot have said to have been a success - he needs a bit more power to bat that position successfully. However, Wada seems to be operating on the principle of anyone but Ryota and making himself look clueless.