October 14th, 2011
Hanshin Tigers 10
Yakult Swallows 1
Streak: Lost 5 Last 5: LLLLL
(Meiji Jingu)
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | F | H | E |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanshin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 14 | 0 |
| Tokyo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| W: Kubo (8-8/3.78) L: Muranaka (4-6/4.28) | ||||||||||||
Tonight it seemed the only way the Swallows would win this game would be if the rain kept on falling and the game would have been called. Unfortunately, after a few rain delays, the game was eventually completed.
Us | Them |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LF Ueda | 1 | CF Hirano |
| 2 | 2B Tanaka | 2 | LF Kanemoto |
| 3 | CF Aoki | 3 | SS Toritani |
| 4 | 1B Hatakeyama | 4 | 3B Arai |
| 5 | SS Kawabata | 5 | 1B Brazell |
| 6 | 3B Miyamoto | 6 | RF Murton |
| 7 | RF Balentien | 7 | 2B Sekimoto |
| 8 | C Aikawa | 8 | C Fujii |
| 9 | P Murunaka | 9 | P Kubo |
The Tigers seemed to get better as the rain fell harder this evening at Jingu. Both teams got a couple of hits in the first inning but were unable to get a runner across. The same thing would happen in the second for the Swallows. This time, though, they would load the bases. Tanaka lined out to end the threat. Not being able to score with runners in scoring position would come back to hurt the Birds.
There wasn’t much action in the game up until the 6th. The only thing the fans were wondering about was whether or not the game would continue. The rain had started to pick up in the 4th and 5th innings. By the 6th inning, it was coming down pretty hard.
Apparently the Tigers thrive on this type of weather because they unleashed a battery of runs in the top half of the 6th. Toritani started it off with a double. Muranaka then walked Arai. The hefty ginger, Brazell, hit a single to easily score Toritani from second. 1 – 0 Hanshin
As the rain started to really pick up, Muranaka walked Murton to load the bases. At that point, the umps called all the players in to the dugouts for a little break.
When the rain eased off for a bit, the players came back on to resume the game. Due to the break, Muranaka was done for the evening. Oshimoto was on the hill to replace him. The first order of business was dealing with Sekimoto. Oshimoto struck him out. Up next was Kanemoto. He fouled out to Aikawa near the 3rd base wall.
One more out and the Birds would be out of this jam. Hanshin’s pitcher,Kubo, was due up next. Of course he would be replaced by a pitch-hitter. That lucky guy was Hiyama. Hiyama would walk and Arai would score. 2 – 0 Hanshin
At this point the rain was really coming down and this writer decided to leave for the night. As I was leaving, Hirano hits a liner, clearing the bases and causing the Tigers fans to go nuts. 5 – 0 Hanshin
Hirano would make it all the way to third. After giving up that hit, Oshimoto was done for the night. It was Hidaka’s turn to try to stop the Tigers. Unfortunately, he was unable to do so. Shibata hit another single and Hirano would easily score to make it 6 – 0 Hanshin.
Toritani would walk before Arai would foul out to end the inning. The total damage in this inning: 4 hits + 4 walks = 6 runs
NOT GOOD FOLKS!
The Tigers would add another run in the top half of the 7th. Shunsuke lead off the inning with a double. Murton was up next. He hit a liner to left. Shunsuke was running all the way and was going for home. Murton, thinking the throw would go home, rounded first hard and took off for second. The throw was cut off and Murton was thrown out at second. However, Shunsuke would score. 7 – 0 Hanshin
The Birds would get one run back as Balentien lead off the 7th with a solo HR. 7 – 1 Hanshin
But the Tigers had not had enough. They would tack on a few more in the 8th. After singles by Shibata and Shunsuke, and 2 fly outs, the skinny ginger strolled to the dish. Murton hit a shot into the Left-field bleachers to put the finishing touches on this game. 10 – 1 Hanshin
The game would end 10 – 1 in favor of Hanshin.
Notes
- Dragons loss to the Giants meant nothing since the Birds lost as well.
- The Dragons magic number is now 1.
- With the Giants now only 1.5 games behind the Birds, the Birds need to wake up and beat up on the Baystars tomorrow afternoon.
- The Giants have 3 games left, while the Birds have 4.
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