Tokyo Yakult Swallows 4

Hanshin Tigers 5

Streak: Lost 3 Last 5: LWLLL

(Koshien Stadium)

Tuesday it was Oshimoto. Wednesday it was Matsuoka. Tonight it was Lim’s turn to blow a game in the 9th inning. But unlike the previous two nights, when the scores were tied going into the final inning, tonight Yakult had a 4-2 lead going into the 9th. But just like the previous night, the winning sayonara run was walked in to hand the Tigers possibly their easiest sweep of the year. A sweep that has realistically all but destroyed any hopes of a 3rd placed finish that Yakult had going into the series.

Ishikawa started and was OKish, giving up just the two runs on eight hits in his 7 innings.

Yakult took a 2-0 lead in the 1st, RBIs from Aoki and Ihara, before a Imaoka two-run home run tied things up in the bottom of the same inning at 2-2.

Tokyo edged ahead in the 6th, two hits and a sacrifice fly from Kawashima made it 3-2. They added another in the 7th as Hanshin reliever Nohmi imploded, giving up a hit and three consecutive walks to make it 4-2.

Igarashi relieved Ishikawa in the 8th, pitching a perfect inning.

And so to the 9th, and Lim. It went a little something like this: double, triple (one run), double (tying run), strikeout, single, intentional walk, unintentional walk – aaaaaaaaggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Well, I supplied the last bit, but I can assure you Lim provided the rest for his 5th loss of the season.

From this low, the Swallows move on to Tokyo Dome to line up in a line and be repeatedly kicked in the balls by cackling Yomiuri players for a three game series against the Giants. Joy.