Asia Series: SK Wyverns Down Chunichi Dragons

The Chunichi Dragons have become the first Japanese team to lose an Asia Series game, being defeated 6-3 by the Korean SK Wyverns.

I was unable to get a connection from up high at Tokyo Dome, so here is the game log I kept during the game. I plan on attending both games tomorrow as well.

The Dragons' Nakata gets into and out of a number of jams. But in the top of the fourth, after a collision at first base caused Arai to drop the ball, the runner from second base came in and scored the first run of the game.

Then in the top of the sixth, the SK Wyverns scored again. A 1-out hit to right-center by Ho.J. Lee allowed the runner to score from second, the throw being cut off near the pitcher's mound. But the ball dribbled away and the runner advanced to second. J.Y. Lee followed with a base hit up the middle that Araki just got a piece of. That piece slowed the ball down enough that nobody could get to it before the second run of the inning came across from second base. Chunichi finds themselves down 3-0 in the sixth, with little offense so far.

Suzuki comes in for the Dragons in the seventh. He throws to three batters, the third, top batter K.W. Jeong, doubling to the left-center gap. That brings in Takahashi with a runner at second and two down and pinch hitter J.W. Lee coming to the plate. Lee grounds the ball back to Takahashi. The ball bounces off of Takahashi's leg to the left side. Morino picks the ball up and throws to first, where it's already too late, but the throw is wide to boot! That pulls Arai off the bag toward the outfield. The runner rounds third and heads home. He dives. Safe! The Wyverns take a 4-0 lead.

Takahashi then pegs Da.H. Kim on a high and tight pitch. That puts runners at first and second with two down. Everything the Korean champions have done this inning was after two outs.

Ho.J. Lee then lines the first Takahashi offering over Araki and into right-center. That scores the runner from second, the runner on first heading to third. Runners now at the corners, the Wyverns with a 5-0 lead.

J.Y. Lee takes a high and tight pitch that gets past Tanishige, scoring the runner from third, advancing the runner from first to second. That brings the count to 2 and 2 to Lee. The 2-2 offering is then lifted high back behind second base. Ibata calls for the ball and makes the catch for out number three.

But not before the Wyverns add 3 more to the scoreboard to take a 6-0 lead going into the Dragons' Lucky Seven.

In the bottom of the seventh, Arai draws a 1-out walk, then Tanishige pops out to second. Immediately following, the pitching coach headed out to the mound. He appeard to ask K.H. Kim how he was doing, then sent him to the dugout. W.C. Cho dashed out of the third base dugout soon thereafter. Ochiai-kantoku decided to make a move as well, sending K. Inoue to pinch hit with a runner at first and two down.

And Inoue comes through with a big drive to right. Haittaaaaaa! Home run. That puts the Dragons on the board. Now they just need to triple that, as they still trail 2-6.

But Hirata goes down swinging at a very high pitch. At the end of seven complete, the Wyverns hold a comfortable 6-2 lead.

The Dragons' defense looked a bit confused going to the top of the eighth. Inoue sayed in the game to take over in left, and Oda behind the plate. However, the scoreboard had Lee moved over to left and Inoue in right. The two started exchanging, but aborted and the scoreboard was corrected. Oh, and Y. Ishii came in to pitch for the Dragons this inning.

Ishii gets the first two batters easily, then hits the third, K.O. Park. Number nine batter, J. Choi, lines the ball up the third base line. I thought it was fair, but it was called foul. The batter didn't move, so it must have been my angle. Two pitches later, we're at full count. The shoubu pitch is grounded hard to Ibata at short. But he handles it like he always does and throws to first to end the threat. Score remains Wyverns 6 - 2 Dragons after seven and a half.

Araki leads off the Dragons' half of the eighth with a triple to left-center, just beating the throw to third.

Ibata followed with a line drive to center field. Araki touched up and came home with the throw over the cutoff man and wide. The Dragons have cut the lead in half, 3-6.

And that looks like all for W.C. Cho. The Wyverns bring in K.Y. Ka with one out and nobody on in the bottom of the eighth.

Ka starts off effective. Once pitch, a line drive out to third off of Morino's bat.

Designated hitter N. Nakamura follows with a deep hit to left. But not deep enough as left fielder J.S. Park comes in a step or two to make the catch for out number three.

So the Dragons manage to score another run in the bottom of the 8th. Time is running out as they trail 6-3 after 8 complete.

Top batter K.W. Geong grounds the ball past a diving Araki up the middle for a base hit to lead off the top of the ninth for the SK Wyverns. Ishii is in his second inning of work.

After an attempted buster with the runner going, J.S. Park bunts the ball back to Ishii. Ishii looks at second, then throws to first, almost too late. The sacrifice is successful, and the Wyverns have a runner at second with one out.

With Ja.H. Kim at the plate, the second offering goes between Oda's legs and bounces off the umpire's foot. It gets far enough away for Jeong to advance to third. Two pitches later, Kim fouls off the 2-2 pitch to the fans on the left side. Another 2-2 pitch and another foul ball to the left side. Kim lines the next 2-2 offering on one hop to Arai at first. He pumps the runner back to third, then takes the ball to the first base bag himself for out number two.

J.K. Park finds himself in the hole, 2 strikes and a ball. The fourth pitch just misses, with Oda and Ishii heading for the first base dugout. 2 and 2 the count. The next offering, in the dirt outside, is swung on and missed. Strike three.

So the Dragons are down to their last three outs, trailing by 3; 3-6.

Former Korean leading hitter B. Lee steps into the left handed batter's box to lead off the ninth for the trailing Dragons. Two quick strikes, and Ka wastes one up high. The fourth offering just misses down and away, 2 and 2 to Lee. Lefty vs. lefty, and Ka throws high and tight. Full count. The shoubu pitch is just fouled off, Lee hitting the ball with the tip of his bat. Shoubu pitch again, and it's grounded to second. K.W. Jeong throws Lee out, and the piching coach heads out to the mound. That's it for Ka.

Right handed pitcher T.H. Chong comes in to replace Ka with one out and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth.

Left handed batter Y. Ueda comes in to pinch hit for Arai. And he grounds out to first, pitcher Chong covering the bag a step ahead of him.

That brings up pinch hitter Tatsunami with one out to go and Chunichi down by three. And Tatsunami is quickly in the hole with two strikes and no balls. The third offering by Chong is swung on and lifted to the back stop. Catcher K.O. Park gives chance, but the ball bounces off the back netting a couple meters too high. Two strike, no ball pitch again, and Tatsunami clears the back screen this time. Fifth offering finally misses outside, Tatsunami letting it go by. Chong's sixth pitch looked awfully good, called ball two. 2 and 2 now the count. And Tatsunami fouls off another one. Well, he's not going down easily. Another 2-2 pitch, and Tatsunami grounds the ball up the middle and through! Base hit. The Dragons hopes are kept alive here in the ninth.

That brings up Inoue who had a hit as a pinch hitter a couple innings earlier. Inoue almost hits his third base coach with a line drive on the first pitch. The second offering by Chong misses outside, 1 and 1. Chong has a side arm delivery, similar to Watanabe Shunsuke of the Marines. But not quite as low. Nonetheless, the next pitch is grounded back to Chong, who side arms the ball to first, and the game is over.

The Chunichi Dragons become the first Japanese team to lose a game in the Asian Series.

As for the SK Wyverns, they played good fundamental baseball. Based on the two games I saw today, SK is the team to beat in this tournament.