The Tigers’ 2018 slogan is 執念 (shunen = tenacity). But up to this point, the team has really failed to show resilience in most of its games. But the boys managed to grit out a W to finish the month of April on a positive note. And the hero was our new import slugger, who is just starting to heat up with the weather.
Starting Pitchers: Yuta Iwasada vs. Kazuki Yabuta
2
With two outs and runners on second and third, Iwasada walked two straight to push the game’s first run across the plate. Iwasada threw 60 pitches through two innings.
Hanshin 0, Hiroshima 1
5
A bad bounce handcuffed shortstop Kai Ueda, and with runners on the corners, a ground ball to third was enough to give the Carp another run.
Hanshin 0, Hiroshima 2
6
Our guys got plenty of chances leading up to this inning… the first three innings all included a double play from our bats/legs. And after chasing their starter in the previous inning (he walked 7, including three apiece to Takashi Toritani and Ueda). So Kosuke Fukudome proved to us that 41 is the new… 31? He legged out a triple, and with two outs, Kento Itohara chopped an infield single to plate the Tigers’ first run of the game.
Hanshin 1, Hiroshima 2
7
This one can be attributed almost solely to Ueda. He bunted his way on base, stole second, and scored easily on a Yoshio Itoi single through the right side of the infield.
Hanshin 2, Hiroshima 2
10
The previous inning was not without its dramatics. Kyuji Fujikawa was fighting the Carp all by himself, striking out and walking guys. He got pulled in favor of Suguru Iwazaki, who got a second out but then walked the bases completely full. He escaped the jam with a foul fly to third. And then after a leadoff Ueda hit just past their third baseman, and with one out and two strikes on him, Wilin Rosario played hero:
🐯出たぁ〜〜❗👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻✊✊
ロサリオ選手が勝ち越し２ラン❗#阪神タイガース #WilinRosarioss pic.twitter.com/nYQA1FqVaA
— ⚾埼とら⚾今季も怪我無く！ (@yakyuragu) April 30, 2018
Final Score: Hanshin 4, Hiroshima 2
WP: Iwazaki (1-2). SV: Dolis (9)
Team Record: 11-12-0