June 18th, 2009
Chiba Lotte Marines 5
Tokyo Yakult Swallows 6
Streak: Won 5 Last 5: WWWWW
(Jingu Stadium)
This was a strange one. The normally infallible Tateyama started and gave up five runs as Chiba took control of the game early on. Tokyo fought back and wasted numerous chances to take the victory in the regular nine innings. Lim had to pitch two innings for the first time this year, and almost gave up his first runs of the season as it was all hands on deck to try and avoid defeat. And in the end an 11th inning sayonara solo homerun from Aaron Guiel ended the 4 hour 33 minute marathon and earned Yakult their fifth victory on the spin.
Today saw the same starting lineup as yesterday’s game with Tateyama starting as he looked to continue his remarkable run of wins. But today he was not at his best. In fact today he was not very good at all as he gave up five runs off nine hits in his five innings, striking out four and walking four as his ERA “ballooned” to 2.318. He never looked in command of his control and it looked for a while that he may suffer his first loss since August last season, but in the end Tokyo’s bats came through to save the day and to ensure that his remarkable run lived to see another start.
Tokyo took the lead in the bottom of the 1st off Chiba starter Ohmine. A Tanaka walk, an Aoki single and a D’Antona timely single scored one run and made it 1-0 Tokyo.
After managing to strand two Chiba runners in each of the first two innings, Tateyama couldn’t escape again in the 3rd. He gave up three one-out doubles in a row, Hashimoto with the third to bring home two runs and make it 2-1 Chiba.
But Tokyo leveled things in the bottom of the 3rd. Aoki led off with a double, and two outs later was at third as Miyamoto came to the plate. He dropped down a squeeze bunt to third, Aoki was home and Miyamoto was safe at first with the score at 2-2.
Tateyama would find himself in more trouble in the top of the 5th. An Ohmatsu solo homer made it 3-2 Chiba, and then two walks and a Benny double scored two more to put Tateyama in his biggest hole of the season as the score became 5-2 Chiba.
But just as in the 3rd, the Marines couldn’t hold onto the lead. Aoki hit his second double (and third hit) of the game and was brought home by a Guiel single to right one out later to make it 5-3. Miyamoto and Aikawa then hit back-to-back singles to load the bases for Keizo with one out. Chiba turned to the bullpen as Nakagoh replaced Ohmine. What followed was an eleven pitch battle, which saw Keizo eventually succumb to a pitch inside as he struck out swinging. Morioka then pinch hit for Tateyama as the pitcher’s record was now on the line. And Morioka delivered, hitting the first pitch he saw through the infield in right, scoring one run, with another scoring after a wild throw home got away and we were all tied up at 5-5.
With an out of sorts Tateyama now gone, the bullpen took over, with Kida (5.505), Matsuoka (1.884), Igarashi (1.367) and Lim (0.00) holding Chiba to just a solitary hit from the 6th to the 9th innings.
During that time Tokyo stranded six men as they wasted chances to go ahead, especially given the Marines’ creaky defense often tried to give them a helping hand.
And so it was to extra innings and Lim took the mound for the top of the 10th. He got two quick outs before walking Lambin and giving up a double to Takehara to put two men in scoring positions. He then hit Heiuchi with a 150k+ fastball in the knee, and not surprisingly the Chiba man had to be stretchered off in some pain. Next man Fuukura was then struck out and the threat to Yakult as well as Lim’s 0.00ERA was over.
Hagiwara (2.700) pitched a scoreless top of the 11th and it was on to the bottom of the inning, with secret agent ex-Swallow and all-round good guy Brian Sikorski taking the mound for Chiba. First man up was Guiel, and he got ahead in the count with three straight balls, but a strike and a foul worked the count full. With Sikorski not wanting to walk the sayonara runner on base Guiel knew he would likely get something he could attack. And so it proved as he smacked one deep into the rightfield bleachers to end the game and spark scenes of wild celebration at home plate. Even Takada looked chuffed, and so he should be. His team are now 12 games over .500 as they are proving themselves to be serious contenders. 6-5 Final.
Hagiwara took the win in relief, his first of the year as Yakult won their fifth straight game for the second time this year (they managed six last time).
Tokyo now get a day’s rest before taking on the Saitama Seibu Lions at Jingu in two games from Saturday to end their 2009 Interleague campaign. The Swallows will be looking for revenge for the whuppings they received at the Seibu Dome two weeks ago. They should be good games indeed.
About David Watkins
