As already detailed in a prior article, the Hanshin Tigers bats have failed to impress this season. Their franchise-worst eighth straight game scoring three or fewer runs and getting nine or fewer hits was capped with a 10-3 drubbing on Saturday night in Hiroshima. Led by key free agent acquisition Yuki Nishi (RHP), the team put an end to both streaks in style.
Top 1 – Avoiding Another First Inning Flop
Though the Carp threatened by loading the bases in the first inning, Nishi coaxed a 3-6-1 double play out of Ryuhei Matsuyama to end the scare.
Top 3 – Small-Balling the First Run In
In vintage Yutaka Wada-era Hanshin style, the hitters singled (Ryutaro Umeno), bunted (Nishi), and singled (Kento Itohara) to push the first run of the game across home. Tigers 1, Carp 0
Top 4 – Bloop Single Extends Lead
Umeno stepped up with two outs and runners on first and second. His Texas-leaguer found no-man’s-land in shallow center and the runner chugged home safely. Tigers 2, Carp 0
Top 5 – First XBH from #4 Hitter
Yusuke Ohyama‘s early-season struggles have been well-documented and lamented ad nauseam.
Top 7 – Old Man Bunts, Young Man Cleans Up
With runners on first and second, Fukudome laid down a nice bunt down the third base line to advance both runners into scoring position. Masahiro Nakatani knocked them both in with a single to left (though it looked as though the third baseman could have had it). Tigers 6, Carp 0
Top 8 – Pouring Salt In Their Wounds
A walk to Nishi and a single from Itohara put runners on the corners. One scored on a Yoshio Itoi single, then the next two guys came in on Fukudome’s double down the right field line. Since we all remember the comeback on May 6, 2017, we don’t call this one over yet, but the way Nishi’s pitching…
Bottom 9 – First CGSO in Ages!
Despite having 127 pitches on his arm already by the end of the eighth, Nishi stood in the batter’s box in the top of the ninth, watched three strikes go by, and set to work in the bottom half of the frame. Thirteen pitches later, the shutout was complete.