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10/2/08 – Hiroshima (Home)

October 2, 2008 By Leave a Comment

October 2nd, 2008

Hiroshima Carp logo Tokyo Yakult Swallows cap

Hiroshima Toyo Carp 1

Tokyo Yakult Swallows 0

Streak: Lost 1 Last 5: LLWWL

(Jingu Stadium)

A quintessential pitcher’s duel, this game. An amazing performance by rookie, Yoshinori, punctuated by a throwing error I probably would have made if I had been playing first base in the top of the ninth.

Yoshinori (5.82 ERA) pitched eight beautiful innings of four-hit baseball with six K’s and one walk. Trouble was that Hiroshima starter, Ootake, did pretty much the same (minus all the strikeouts). That left the door open for some drama in the ninth.

After his single, Higashide made it over to second before Alex drilled one at Hatakeyama over at third base. Higashide attempted to advance to third after Hatakeyama threw to first, whereby Yuuichi did what I would have done–chuck the ball into foul territory near shallow left field. 1-0 Hiroshima.

Poor Igarashi (2.72). Due to the error, he took the loss.

And that was it.

The offense was completely stifled by Ootake, garnering only five hits in this contest, and never threatened to score.

Tokyo hosts a four game series versus Hanshin starting tomorrow night at 6:20 PM.

Seven games separate Tokyo and third-place Chunichi.

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About Christopher Pellegrini

Christopher is a budding sabermetrician and long-time supporter of Tokyo's more lovable team, the Swallows. He has publicly volunteered, several times, that he plans to buy the team at some point in the future. When he finally runs the joint, it is likely that he will fine any player who swings at the first pitch or sac bunts (unless it's a pitcher, of course). Follow him on Twitter: @chrispellegrini

  • http://www.transpacificradio.com David Watkins

    That was a terrible error by Yuuichi. When Higashide started to break to third I thought he may try a panic throw from first and he did while I shouted “Noooooo!” at the TV in disbelief, but alas, to no avail.

  • Rob

    Did Hatakeyama look the runner back? Or was the ball so weakly hit that he only had time to charge it and throw? I was focusing on the error itself the first few times I saw the play. I need some more replays.

  • http://www.transpacificradio.com/ Garrett DeOrio

    Poor Yuuichi, a Gold Glove year he has not had. Some of you might recall him apparently getting caught not looking when Rios tried to check a runner at first way back in the Swallows’ first loss of the season – in Yokohama – a stalling technique that allowed the BayStars to bring a pair home.

    While he hasn’t done many things that disastrous, he seems to have enough mishaps to cause a bit of worry.

  • http://spora.jp/tomnish/ tomnish

    It was Takeuchi, not Yuuichi, that was guarding the bag at first when Rios tried to check a runner(May 6th).
    Anyway, it is a pity that Yuuichi is not so skillful in defense….

  • Rob

    Yah, I think that’s part of the problem. Who’s your 1B today? Hatakeyama? Takeuchi? Yuuichi? Guiel? And who’s playing third today? Iihara? Kawashima? Miyade? Takeuchi? Hatakeyama? Is it Kawashima because it’s Thursday? Or is it Miyamoto because it’s an even-numbered date?

  • http://www.transpacificradio.com/ Garrett DeOrio

    Well said, Rob. And I apologize for the error, Tomnish.

    Actually, although I won’t say I have a photographic memory, I was thinking, I believe, of April 1st.

    Takeuchi got the start tonight (October 3rd) and, to my surprise, Kajimoto got in at 3rd base.

    Maybe I’m too cynical, but I have a feeling that Takada is going to call an ex post facto “rebuilding” season. My feeling on rebuilding seasons has always been that if the team considers it acceptable to not aim for a Japan Series championship in any given season, if I’m essentially watching an extended practice, my tickets should be free and my ridiculously overpriced merchandise should be half price. After all, you don’t pay for the full meal when you only get coffee.

    An ex post facto rebuilding season is an incompetent coward’s way of refusing to admit that he’s incompetent. (And I’m in a really good mood after tonight’s win over Hanshin.)