Magic in the Air for Hawks, Sugiuchi Shuts Down Giants

Toshiya Sugiuchi has been nothing short of amazing each of the last two years in May and June. His prowess has helped the Hawks surge in both those months, but the team would like to avoid a collapse like last season. Unlike last season, so far Sugiuchi hasn't had to do it alone. This Hawks team may yet be made of something stronger than last year's injury-riddled squad.

Sugiuchi (6-1, 2.20) was brilliant again today in a crucial game against the Yomiuri Giants. The Hawks could potentially have lowered their Magic Number to 1 to clinch the Interleague Championship, and Sugiuchi ensured the Magic Number would at least be lowered by one. The lefty ace notched a complete-game effort, allowing only one run (unearned) on four hits, walking 1, hitting 1, and striking out 7 kyojin.

His counterpart Shun Tohno (2-4, 2.11), was equally effective, however he did not last nearly as long as the veteran Hawk. Tohno was solved in the 7th inning and was chased after 6 and 1/3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits, walking 2 and striking out 3 over that span.

The Hawks finally got going against Tohno in the 7th after having no more than one baserunner on in the first 6 innings. After retiring the dangerous Matsunaka to start the inning, the young righty ran into some real trouble for the first time in the game. Tohno walked Kokubo, then Tamura singled his way on. Hara-kantoku made the executive decision to replace Tohno with lefty specialist Tetsuya Yamaguchi.

However, Yamaguchi only exacerbated the problem. He faced two batters, hitting Yuya Hasegawa, and then surrendering the hit that would tie the game. Nobuhiro Matsuda singled to right field off the lefty to tie the game up at 1. Hara had seen enough, and went with former Seibu Lions closer Kiyoshi Toyoda. With the bases still loaded, Toyoda got Tanoue to ground to short, and the throw home was in time to keep one run from scoring. Toyoda almost worked his way out of the jam, but he walked Honda to force in the second run of the inning, and what proved to be the game-winning run.

SoftBank would add three more in the 8th inning behind a leadoff home run from Jose Ortiz, his 9th of the season. The victim was former Fighters closer Micheal Nakamura, who has not adjusted well to a set-up role. Nakamura then hit the next two batters in Matsunaka and Kokubo. Tamura doubled home the lumbering Matsunaka. With runners on second and third and Micheal apparently settling down, Tanoue made Sugiuchi's job easier in the 9th by singling home Kokubo and Tamura. Final score, Hawks 5, Giants 1.

The Hawks got many a clutch performance late in this game, which was key to help the team move one step closer to winning the Interleague title for a second straight year. SoftBank has four games remaining in Interleague, against the Chunichi Dragons and the Yokohama BayStars. Chunichi comes first, and the two teams will play on Tuesday.

SoftBank fans everywhere hope that the Hawks have not used up all their magic in Interleague like they did last season. In the overall standings, the Hawks trail the Fighters by a single game in the Pacific League.