Through seven innings, the two hurlers combined to throw approximately the same number that Fujinami threw in that unforgettable (for all the wrong reasons) game in July 2016. Yes, they both brought their A games. In fact, the Yakult Swallows never got past first base until the eighth inning. That’s how good Akkyaman was again tonight.
Starting Pitchers: Takumi Akiyama (3-4, 2.68 ERA) vs. David Huff (1-3, 4.93 ERA)
Batters
Kai Ueda started the game with a single, then got picked off. In the sixth, Kento Itohara and Kosuke Fukudome hit their way into scoring position, only to lose that edge when the former tried for home on a feeble grounder to the next batter. The very next inning, Masahiro Nakatani got his first hit of the season, but fell victim to the double play on a hit-and-run gone wrong (soft liner caught by Yamada). Running game not working, and Huff threw well outside of these botched chances by poor judgments on the base paths.
Pitcher
What to say? Akiyama never let anyone touch second base through seven. He scattered two hits and a walk in that span. Then in the eighth, he allowed a leadoff hit and a one-out single to put runners on the corners. That’s when the beast within was let loose.
あっきゃまん⭐
めっちゃカッコいい‼
(๑>◡<๑)💕#阪神タイガース #秋山拓巳#あっきゃまん#8回のピンチを押さえ#吠えてるー#ナイスピッチング#頼れるチームの柱のひとり pic.twitter.com/q7oap0oCZH— TORA-K☆ (@sipponotweet) May 24, 2018
Actually the strikeout in the video is from a previous inning, but his reactions after getting clutch outs are priceless. He finished with this line: 8 IP, 101 TP, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 R.
8
Ueda smartly reached base on a push bunt – no one had first base covered. Runner safe. A sacrifice bunt later, the Swallows elected to walk Fukudome on purpose in order to face Wilin Rosario. Wrong. Move. (For them!)
よっしゃ！よく打ったロサリオ！！！好投秋山に応えるタイムリーヒット！！！ #hanshin #虎テレ pic.twitter.com/635kcjzmTx
— 虎テレ運用担当 (@toratele) May 24, 2018
