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10/17/08 – Pacific League Climax Series – 2nd Stage – Hokkaido vs. Saitama (Game 2)

October 17, 2008 by Leave a Comment

October 17th, 2008

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 3

Saitama Seibu Lions 10

(Oomiya Prefectural Stadium)

Half of Hokkaido’s hits were delivered by only two guys, and starter Ryan Glynn got roughed up early by an all-out Lions assault, as the home team stomped all over the visitors to make this series 2-0.*

Glynn (10 hits, 1 K, 3 BB’s) lasted four hits into the fourth inning (without getting an out) while giving up 10 earned runs. Yup, your math is correct. His playoff ERA is now 30.00. And I must say…that’s some pretty impressive patience displayed by Hokkaido manager, Nashida. Glynn was allowed to face the entire lineup in the third inning and gave up five runs during that frame before taking the mound again in the fourth.

Glynn’s counterpart, Hideaki Wakui (1.50), fared much better. He gave up one run off eight hits and had eight strikeouts and one walk.

In stark contrast to the Hokkaido offense (Tanaka and Sledge accounted for five of the team’s 10 hits), every guy in the Saitama lineup except for their number nine guy (Hiram Bocachica) had at least one hit. In fact, of the three guys that got on base only once (via a solid connection of lumber and baseball), two of them had triples and the other guy a double. Three guys reached base twice, outfielder Satou got on three times, and both first baseman Ishii and shortstop Nakajima got on base four times apiece. Nakajima had two home runs and two singles (three rbi’s) and Ishii had a walk, two singles and a double. Gotou, the DH, also chipped in with a three-run homer.

Hokkaido first baseman, Terrmel Sledge, brought in all three of Hokkaido’s runs.

Game three, like all of the remaining games in this series, will be at Seibu Dome. First pitch is scheduled for 2 PM.

* Stage two of the Climax Series in both leagues affords the league champion a one game lead from the outset of the series. Therefore the Saitama Seibu Lions entered tonight’s game with a 1-0 advantage in the series even though the two teams hadn’t yet played. It’s a seven-game series, but the maximum number of games that will actually be played is six.

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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://jhockey.wordpress.com/ simoncurrie

    Either the Lions were in top form or Glynn was very very hittable today, likely some sort of a combination of the two. It’ll be interesting to see if Darvish can put a stop to the bleeding as the best pitcher in Japan faces the sluggingest offence in NPB (even without GG Sato and Brazell, their substitutes Gotoh and Ishii swing a mean bat).

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

    It should indeed be interesting, Simon. Other than their late-season slide, though, Saitama’s been a juggernaut this season and Hokkaido does not look like the team of the past couple years. If Darvish is in anything other than top form, this could get ugly for the Fighters.