It's Like Kissing Your Sister: Hawks & Lions Tie

Through 114 games over 5 and a half months, the SoftBank Hawks had avoided tying a game. They had come close many times, but they either pulled out an 11th hour win, or lost in extra innings. Either way, the Hawks hadn't tied this season, but the Lions had. However, this was not what either team needed. The Hawks needed a win to cut their 8-game deficit. The good news was that they didn't lose.

Today saw a marquee pitching matchup between Team Japan's two aces in the highly disappointing Olympic tournament: Hideaki Wakui for the visiting Lions, and Toshiya Sugiuchi for the host Hawks. Both dueled over 8 innings, and nobody came out on top.

Sugiuchi went 9 innings, striking out 12 Lions while giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits, with 3 walks (139 pitches). Not a bad start from a pitcher who has seen his share of torment at the hands of the Lions this season. He ran into trouble in the 3rd, letting three straight men reach after a leadoff single by Hosokawa. He would score on Kuriyama's double. A walk to Hiroyuki Nakajima put 2 men on, and a double by Hawks-killer Craig Brazell cleaned the bases to put Seibu on top, 3-0.

Wakui was just as good over 8 innings, giving up 3 runs (1 earned) while scattering 7 hits, striking out 6 and walking 4 (146 pitches). Both pitchers' defense let them down at various times, leading to their unearned runs. His trouble was more spread out, as his first mistake came in the person of Matsunaka, who hit his 23rd home run of the season in the 3rd inning after an error by Kataoka, which led to 2 unearned runs on Wakui.

The very next inning, Morimoto slapped a single through the left side to tie the game at 3 after a walk to Takaya and a single by Arakane.

The most exciting inning was the 11th. Newly activated Akihiro Yanase was called upon to get through the inning. The second batter, catcher Hosokawa, drilled a home run to left field to put the Lions up, 4-3, but it wasn't over yet. Kataoka singled after the second out was recorded, which finished Yanase's day.

Lefty Mise came out to get the lefthander Kuriyama, but Mise served up a four-pitch walk. With excellent speed on both first and second, the Hawks were in dire need of the third out, as a base hit would score a game-sealing insurance run. However, the 3rd pitcher of the inning, Makoto Satoh, got the dangerous Hiroyuki Nakajima to ground out harmlessly to second to end the inning.

With their backs against the wall, the Hawks responded in a timely manner, and one that could speak volumes about them. White-hot pinch-hitter Yoshikawa has been extremely effective in his role, and he came through again with a clutch home run to tie the game off of ace closer Alex Graman, who had entered his 2nd inning of work.

After Mahara set the Lions down in order in the 12th, the Hawks took their ups, looking to score another 11th hour win. Taninaka started the 12th, and faced only one batter: shortstop Satoru Morimoto, who singled to start the inning. Taninaka was lifted for Tomoki Hoshino, who faced one batter and only had to throw one pitch to Nobuhiko Matsunaka. The double play was not recorded, as Morimoto took second.

Koji Ohnuma became the 3rd Seibu pitcher of the inning, and in another puzzling move by Oh-kantoku, Tadaatsu Nakazawa pinch-hit for Hiroki Kokubo, and was unsuccessful. Nobuhiro Matsuda was intentionally walked to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 down, which is where the Hawks have been successful before. Oh-kantoku made another bad decision, pinch-hitting the light-hitting Keisuke Kaneko for Takeshi Tsuji. Unsurprisingly, Kaneko lined out to end the game.

Tomorrow, the Hawks hope to win this time against the Lions. They are in good shape, as DJ Houlton (4-4, 3.74) pitches on extended rest against Kazuyuki Hoashi (10-4, 2.79).