September 16th, 2009
Tokyo Yakult Swallows 6
Streak: Won 1 Last 5: LLLLW
(Yokohama Stadium)
Huh. Imagine that.
After the humiliation of last night’s performance, the birds strung together some hits during the second half of this game to come from behind and get a solid, and long-overdue, win over the Yokohama Baystars.
Tokyo’s lineup:
1. Fukuchi (LF)
2. Kawashima (SS)
3. Aoki (CF)
4. Guiel (RF)
5. Miyamoto (3B)
6. Tanaka (2B)
7. Noguchi (1B)
8. Kawamoto (C)
9. Takagi (P)
The Stars got on the board first in this one as they scored two off of Tokyo starter, Takagi, in the bottom of the opening frame. But that was the last time they would get a runner to cross home plate. At any rate, 2-0 Yokohama.
Tokyo was pretty quiet at the plate until the fifth inning when they finally started to figure out Yokohama rookie starter, Fujie. Takagi sac bunted Kawamoto over to second after he reached first on a base hit to left, and Fukuchi and Kawashima followed with singles of their own that tied game up. 2-2.
The sixth inning would be Fujie’s last as he allowed a D’Antona sac fly that scored Miyamoto and put the Swallows ahead 3-2.
Takasaki, Yokohama’s first reliever of the seventh, wasn’t nearly as effective this time around as he was last night. He gave up hits to three of the four batters he faced, and two runs scored in the process. Morioka’s leadoff single was followed by a one out Kawashima base hit and finally a bases clearing Aoki double. 5-2 birds.
Tokyo would score its final run of the game in the top of the ninth when a one out Fukuchi single was followed by a two out Aoki single to make it a 6-2 final.
Takagi got the first win of his professional career tonight while giving up six hits and two earned runs. His ERA is 1.52 through eight appearances, and he had two strikeouts against four walks in five and 2/3 innings of work.
Lee (3.16) lowered his ERA slightly in recording the final out in the sixth.
Oshimoto (2.72), Igarashi (2.72), and Lim (1.59) finished up the last three innings of the game in scoreless fashion.
The first third of Tokyo’s lineup did well this evening with Fukuchi collecting three hits (three singles and one rbi), and Kawashima and Aoki recording two each. Kawashima had two singles and an rbi while Aoki had a single and a double and three rbi’s.
The series is now tied at one game apiece. Will the Swallows be able to pull it off this time? Find out tomorrow evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6 pm at Yokohama Stadium.
About Christopher Pellegrini
