September 5th, 2009
Tokyo Yakult Swallows 0
Yomiuri Giants 7
Streak: Lost 1 Last 5: LLWDL
(Tokyo Dome)
Oshimoto made his first start in four years as he attempted to help out the ailing Yakult rotation, and he did very well indeed, though his hard work was undone by the patched-up bullpen. He also got no run support as Utsumi became the latest pitcher to pitch a complete game shutout against the Swallows.
Today’s lineup saw two changes with D’Antona replacing Takeuchi at first and Ihara replacing Guiel in rightfield. The Guiel switch showed Takada’s continued reluctance to put the Canadian in against lefties, though his replacement Ihara did have an excellent .462 record against Utsumi this year coming into the game.
Oshimoto, making his first start since 2005, when he was with Nippon Ham, pitched and exellent five innings, giving up just the one run (a 2nd inning homerun from pig-faced freakboy Shinosuke Abe) off three hits, striking out two, walking two and hitting one.
He left the game in a good position for Tokyo, but it wouldn’t remain so rosey after the bullpen got involved. Matsui (5.79) gave up three runs off four hits in the 6th and it was 4-0 Yomiuri. Though it has to be said that that inning just illustrated the vast difference in luck between the two teams, with the Giants getting on base via lucky infield hits, dribbling grounders that just escaped the diving infield and other such assorted crap. Even pitcher Utsumi got himself an RBI which just added to the general nauseating circle-jerk vibe that is a game at the Tokyo Dome.
Lee (3.41) came in for the 7th and had himself a 1,2,3 inning, before Kamada (6.30) pitched a three-hit three-run 8th and it was 7-0.
Utsumi ended up wrapping up his complete game shutout after giving up seven hits and striking out nine. He’d lost his last three starts before this (one of them coming against Tokyo) and I seem to remember him often re-discovering his form against us this year.
Tokyo had their first (and only) chance against him in the 1st, with Tanaka and Aoki singles putting men on the corners with one out for D’Antona. He hit a fierce linedrive which was caught by the diving Ogasawara at first, who also managed to tag out Aoki for the double play.
They wouldn’t get more than one man on again until the 9th, where two two-out singles from the pinch-hitting Hatakeyama and Ihara were a case of too little too late.
Aoki (.277), and Tanaka (.281) had two-hit games while Fukuchi (.276), D’Antona (.291), Keizo (.252) and Aikawa (.246) were all hitless.
Oshimoto was the unfortunate recipient of the loss as his record moved to 1-5/2.54.
The two teams will meet again at the same time and place tomorrow evening.
About David Watkins
