August 13th Messenger v Kenta Maeda - Dreadful dome

Tigers don't like Osaka Dome even though it is in Osaka. Having been there I can sympathise with them. It is one of the worse domes and the perfect home for the Buffaloes. So Tigers were still in their sulking adjustment phase when Carp came to call with their best pitcher. We also had a tired Messenger who was good but over-pitched yet again. Scores

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

Starting Lineups

Carp
1. Lewis (Left)
2. Kikuchi (Second)
3. Maru (Centre)
4. Ka'aihue (First)
5. Matsuyama (Right)
6. Dobayashi (Third)
7. Kimura (Short)
8. Kura (Catcher)
9. Kenta Maeda (Pitcher)

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

Messenger made a spectacular start when perhaps a more measured approach would have been more sensible. He struck out both Lewis and Kikuchi swinging and then decided to go for the third strike out in a row. Unfortunately, he didn't have the pop and Maru got ahead in the count. With the count full Messenger left a hittable pitch in the zone and Maru hit it into the back screen for a solo home run 1-0 Carp. Ka'aihue tried to do the same to a chastened Messenger and flew out to Fujii. Imanari worked a walk in the bottom but then Wada had to waste an out bunting him to second. Toritani grounded out to first but moved Imanari round to third. Next was Murton who as he does so often blew the chance striking out looking. He really does need to hit more often for the position. Messenger was still chasing strikeouts in Carp's second and struck out all three batters he faced. Tigers second was also quiet. In Carp's third two went down then Lewis singled to centre. This didn't work out as Kikuchi grounded out to short. Tigers third was a waste. The first two batters failed to make base but then Imanari worked another walk. This time, freed from the need to waste his out, Yamato singled left off his first pitch moving Imanari round to third and putting himself on first. Toritani walked to load the bases and Tigers had a really good chance. Once again Murton blew it - this time he went for his first pitch and mistimed it completely flying out in foul ground to end the innings and the chance. It had been abysmal batting so far from the Tigers No. 4.

Carp's fourth was quiet and the runners failed to get on base. So was Tigers who would struggle to generate more hits. With one out in Carp's fifth Kimura singled and then stole second beating Fujii's weak arm with ease. But as the next two batters were Kura and Kenta Maeda the threat wasn't that great and Messenger dealt with the batters easily. Tigers fifth was quiet and no one made it to base. In Carp's sixth, Messenger was in strike out mode again and went through the top three batters this time getting Maru to strike out swinging to end the innings. Maru had still done the damage though. Tigers sixth was quiet too and whilst there were no strike outs Kenta Maeda managed to get the batters out in an interesting and varied way.

Messenger probably should have been taken off after the sixth but instead pitched the seventh as well. This was a disaster for Tigers. Ka'aihue led the innings off with a single to and then with one out Messenger strayed again and Dobayashi singled setting up runners on first and second. Kimura grounded out forcing out Dobayashi but putting himself on first and Ka'aihue on third. It should have ended here but a tired Messenger's next pitch was forced into left by Kura bringing in the runner 2-0 Carp. This was abysmal catching by Fujii who with Kenta Maeda next might well have considered walking Kura to get at the pitcher. Kenta Maeda grounded out to end the innings giving further support to the deliberate walk move. Arai led off Tigers seventh with a single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Maeda was vulnerable and Saka's ground out took him to third. Here Wada blew it bringing on Fukudome as a pinch hitter for his first at bat back from injury. He should have stuck with Ryota who at least is not coming in from a long break. Fukudome mistimed his swing completely and flew out to third for the second out. Wada's next move was just as incomprehensible - bringing on Hiyama to pinch hit for Fujii who has driven in runs at a respectable rate. By now the crisis was over for Maeda though and he struck out the pinch hitter to end the innings. Some stupid mismanagement by Wada had cost Tigers a potential run. Amazingly Messenger continued to pitch - his punishment innings for having given up the run. Shimizu took over the catching duties and together they kept the Carp quiet. Tigers eighth saw Imanari pick up his third walk of the game with one out. Neither Yamato nor Toritani could move him off third and the innings was quiet. Katoh pitched Carp's ninth and struck out Ka'aihue. Then Matsuyama grounded out to second. Dobayashi hit to third and beat Kurose's fielding and throw to first. Dobayashi stole second as Tigers concentrated on the batter Kimura who grounded out weakly to Katoh to end the innings. Kenta Maeda was now going for a complete game shutout but with a rather high pitch count. Murton grounded out and Arai struck out swinging but Maeda drifted to Saka who swung at his first pitch and put it over the wall for a solo home run 2-1 Carp. Sekimoto (pinch hitter) struck out swinging to end the game and give the Carp a narrow victory.

Tigers ineptness in the seventh had cost them a tied game situation. Wada should have never used Fukudome for the pinch situation in his first at bat back when Ryota could have done the job just as well and with more prospect of success. Then replacing Fujii with Hiyama was pointless as Fujii has been one of the more reliable hitters. With that run in the seventh Tigers would have levelled the game in the ninth and then taken the game into extra innings exposing the Carp's weak relief. Tigers are strong in extra innings and the victory would have been theirs. Murton raises more and more questions about his role at No. 4 - he needs to be driving in more runs than he is and it is just another indication of Wada's general incompetence that he can't even put people into the right positions.