This is the first time that H-TEN has had the opportunity to write about a winner. I’ve put up rankings like this in the past, and they are always fun, regardless of how the season turns out. I mean, even the worst teams put up 10 games that they can be proud of, right?
Well, this year’s crop of great games is much richer than it ever has been in the past. I tried to put things in perspective, choosing the songs that told the best story of this season’s success. So you’ll have to forgive me for not including Opening Day, Murakami, Kirishiki, and Beasley’s first career wins, and Sato’s 2-home run 7 RBI Mother’s Day performance. Also, since it is obvious that September 14 and November 5 are THE biggest games of the season, I have simply linked them for you to check over in their original posts, and will focus instead on 10 other games for which I posted scorecards but not many details.
Without further ado, let the commentary and video highlight reels begin!
10. Kinami’s GS Gives Team Most Successful August Ever
August 26 @ Yomiuri Giants, Tokyo Dome
Coming off a convincing 8-1 win on Friday (Murakami picked up his 8th win while Chikamoto and Morishita hit home runs), the pitchers on Saturday were not as sharp as the pitchers had been the previous day. Fortunately for them, the bats continued their relentless attack on a substandard Giants pitching staff. In the early going, the two teams exchanged blows. The Tigers got on board first in the top of the second, as Sato hit his 15th home run of the season. That lead lasted just a few minutes, as the Giants tied the game up in the bottom half of the inning. Two frames later, Chikamoto helped the Tigers regain the lead by knocking in Sakamoto. But once again in the bottom of the same inning, the Giants scored, this time taking the lead on a 2-run home run from Maru.
In the top of the fifth, the Tigers set themselves up for another lead change, drawing two walks and hitting an infield single to load the bases. Kinami stroked a 1-1 low-outside slider into center to give his team a 4-3 lead, from which they would never look back. Two innings later, Kinami came back to the plate with the bases loaded, thanks to an Ohyama double and another pair of walks. This time, he doubled his production from the previous at-bat, sending an 0-1 juicy slider into the right-field stands for his first career grand slam. Though reliever Kirishiki surrendered three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, it was not nearly enough to make this one close again.
9. Morishita vs. Morishita Ends in Walk-Off
May 20 vs Hiroshima Toyo Carp, Koshien Stadium
Koutaro Ohtake was up against Hiroshima’s fourth-year ace, Masato Morishita. Ohtake had himself a great day, throwing seven innings and allowing six hits. No one reached third base while he was on the mound. Unfortunately, the bats did not support his endeavor to pick up the W. Masato kept the Tigers bats at bay, only twice allowing a runner into scoring position through eight innings.
It took until two outs in the bottom of the ninth for anything to be determined. Ohyama hit a double to right-center, which prompted the Carp to intentionally walk Sato. This brought up rookie Shota Morishita (no known relation to the opposing pitcher). The 22-year-old had shown flashes of brilliance early in the year, but was also coming back from a spell down on the farm. To this point, he was hitless on this day. However, he stroked the first pitch he saw past the shortstop and into left field. Third base coach Atsushi Fujimoto carefully watched left-fielder Ryoma Nishikawa’s positioning and knew he did not possess a particularly strong arm. He did not hesitate to wave Ohyama home, and although Ohyama is not the most fleet-footed of runners, the play at the plate was not even close. Safe. Walk-off win.
8. September Magical Run Starts with Morishita
September 1 vs Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Meiji Jingu Stadium
The team had just returned from their long road trip earlier in the week. They had gone 18-5 to that point in August, but dropped two straight close ones at home against the Baystars, and lost their magic number, which was 21 on August 27. They entered September on a down note, and fans immediately recalled all the autumn skids of yesteryear that had left them broken-hearted time and time again.
Heading back on the road again, they leaned on their rookie ace pitcher and right fielder to straighten the ship. Morishita opened the scoring with a huge leadoff home run to dead center in the top of the second. They added two more runs in the third, with Chikamoto walking, stealing a base, and coming home on a knock from Nakano. He, in turn, reached home on an Ohyama double.
Later in the game, Morishita started the seventh inning with another blast – this one to right-center. It was the first multi-home run game of his career, and it hugely supported Murakami, who dealt seven shutout innings and allowed just four base runners. The team would go on to win the game and win back its magic number, now down to 18. They would never lose it again until it vanished for good on September 14.
7. Three Pitchers All Earn 10th Win in Key Series
September 8-10 vs Hiroshima Toyo Carp, Koshien Stadium
Many within the Tigers’ organization viewed this series not so much as must-sweep or even must-win. The general mindset was that one win would be enough to set the Carp back enough to keep the team’s momentum going. On Friday, Shoki Murakami earned win #10 on the year. On Saturday, Koutaro Ohtake had picked up his tenth win. Itoh also entered the Sunday contest with nine wins on his record, and having seen his two mates reach double digits in the previous two games, he wanted to complete the trifecta.
This one did not come as easily as the first two. Neither starting pitcher gave ground through four innings. In fact, the teams had just one hit between them as the game entered the fifth. The second hit of the game was a big one, though. Itoh made a mistake on his first pitch to McBroom, who deposited the fat fastball into the left-field stands.
The Tigers replied in the sixth, as Nakano got things started with a one-out infield single. He reached second on the second baseman’s throwing error, and Morishita cashed him in on an 0-1 low slider offering, which he hit back up the middle.
The score remained knotted at one until the bottom of the eighth. Starting with the top of the order, the Tigers opened their eyes to the reality that the Carp pitchers were throwing fewer strikes than they had earlier in the game. Walks from Chikamoto, Morishita (intentional), and Sato loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Itohara, who brought in two runs on a single that eluded the outstretched glove of the Carp shortstop. Sakamoto walked the bases loaded once more, and Kinami made no mistake, hitting an inside cutter into center field for another pair of runs. Haraguchi pinch hit for Itoh and collected a hit, but on the ensuing throw home, Sakamoto was called out. The rally was over, but the damage had been done.
6. Return of the Goat, Teru Hits 2nd GS, Magic Number 1
September 13 vs Yomiuri Giants, Koshien Stadium
The win streak now at nine games, the Tigers had a shot at their second straight month with a 10-game win streak on Wednesday. Aoyagi was up for the challenge.
The only real jam he got himself into in his six innings of work was in the second inning, when with one out and runners on first and second, a liner went off his glove, was caught by Nakano, and thrown to second for the force out as Hayato Sakamoto was unable to return to his base on time.
In the bottom of the third, the Tigers’ bats went to work. Chikamoto singled and stole second, and then Nakano bunted for a single and also stole second. Morishita earned himself a four-pitch walk to load the bases, and after an Ohyama strikeout, Sato came up and hit a high sinker over the wall in right-center for a grand slam. It was his 19th of the year, leaving him just one home run from reaching the 20 plateau for the third straight season. No left-handed hitter in NPB had ever accomplished this straight out of the draft to this point.
The Tigers advanced runners into scoring position two more times the rest of the way but without results. The Giants, on the other hand, reached second base in the fifth inning only. Brewer, Kirishiki, and Ishii each blanked them for an inning, and for the second straight day, the Tigers had shut out the Giants.
5. Rookie Saves Team from Loss, Walks Baystars Off
July 12 vs Yokohama DeNA Baystars, Koshien Stadium
Ohtake was on the bump for the Tigers and he surrendered a run in each of the first two innings. Trevor Bauer countered with a quick trip through the Tigers’ order in the first three innings. The Tigers got to him in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game on RBI singles from Ohyama and Neuse. However, Ohtake was having an uncharacteristically bad outing, and served up his second home run of the night, this one a two-run blast to Shugo Maki. From there, the Tigers responded with nine straight outs.
The score remained 4-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Bauer came out, having thrown just 98 pitches through seven, and just the one inning of runners on the base paths. Itohara led off the inning with a pinch-hit single to left, and then it was Morishita time. He stroked the third pitch he saw, a fastball low and inside, deep into the left-field stands. The score was tied at four, and one out and a double later, Bauer’s game was over.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the ninth. Neuse drew a leadoff walk, and a fielding error from the Baystars on a Sakamoto sac bunt put a second runner on base. One out later, seldom-used Takahiro Kumagai walked to load the bases, and it was Morishita’s turn once again. Once again, it was the third pitch of the at-bat that was put into play. A low, outside fastball was sent flying to center, and it was deep enough to score the walk-off run from third base on a sacrifice fly.
4. Complete Game Shutout Shadowed by 15 Run Outburst
April 27 vs Yomiuri Giants, Koshien Stadium
Masashi Itoh was at long last ready to make his first start of the year. Dating back to the 2021 season, he was also riding a streak of 10 straight winning decisions at Koshien. Looking to stretch it to 11, it did not take long for him to receive the run support he needed to accomplish his mission. In the bottom of the second, Seishiro Sakamoto brought home Sato on a single, and Seiya Kinami plated Kota Inoue on a sacrifice fly. The next inning, the team exploded. They sent 11 guys to the plate, scoring six runs on a Chikamoto leadoff home run, a Sato infield single, an Inoue double, a Kinami single, and a Chikamoto infield single.
The party was on, and Itoh was dealing. He did not need any more runs to be scored, especially as he only let two Giants reach base on hits the entire game. The bats were not satisfied with eight runs, though. In the sixth, they got one more on an Ohyama home run, and in their final turn at the plate in the eighth, they put up another six-spot, thanks to RBI hits from Inoue (2-run triple), Kinami (single), and Nakano (bases-clearing triple). Itoh went all nine innings, needing just 106 pitches to complete his two-hitter. He fanned eight Giants in his dominant effort.
3. Team Remembers Late Yokota, Comeback Win
July 25 vs Yomiuri Giants, Koshien Stadium
July 25 was designated Shintaro Yokota Memorial Game. Before the game, a video was played on the stadium scoreboard, and a moment of silence brought over 40,000 fans, players, coaches, and staff to sobriety. Winning this game would be an important send-off for the man who had left the Tigers, and now the world, all too soon.
The Tigers sent Junya to the mound, while the Giants brought two-time Sawamura Award winner Tomoyuki Sugano. The Tigers got off to a strong start in this one. Chikamoto, who had just come back from his rib injury the previous weekend, started the attack with a single. He moved to second on a sac bunt, and ultimately scored on a Sato double. However, the Giants tied the game in the fourth with an Okamoto home run, and took the lead in the fifth on a Yuto Akihiro RBI double. Sugano had been humming along, allowing just one single in the four innings proceeding that first run against.
But in the bottom of the sixth with Morishita on first base, Ohyama clubbed a 2-2 low forkball into the left-field stands, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Upon returning to the bench, Ohyama raised his helmet to the sky as a tribute to Yokota. Sugano’s night was over, but the Tigers’ attack was not. The next inning, after Chikamoto and Nakano drew one-out walks, Ohyama knocked the lead runner in with a single to left.
Said Ohyama after the game: “I felt like Yoko was the one who helped that ball clear the wall… we lived together in the players’ dorm when I first joined the team, and he was always there hanging out with me. I’m really sad, but I feel that much more strongly that being able to play baseball every day is not something I can ever take for granted.”
Iwasada commented that this game felt different than others, and that he had Yokota with him on the mound, which allowed him to shut out the opponent. “I really wish we could have had more opportunities to play together.”
Iwazaki was also somber in his reflections: “I want to be able to report good news to him every day, and at season’s end, give him the best news of all.”
2. Saiki Tames Marines, Tigers Defeat Reiwa Beast
June 4 vs Chiba Lotte Marines, Koshien Stadium
The tall task for Hiroto Saiki would be to throw his best game of the year. For the bats, the job was even more challenging: somehow beat generational talent Roki Sasaki.
In the sixth inning, the scoreless tie was finally broken. Nakano led off with a walk, stole second base with Ohyama at the plate. On a 2-2 count and Nakano on third base (thanks to a wild pitch), Sasaki threw a forkball high in the zone, and Ohyama sliced it into shallow right. The Tigers were on the board, and Sasaki’s pitch count was at 102 by the end of the inning. He had only given up the one run, but it left his team playing from behind.
This slim lead was made possible by Saiki basically matching Sasaki out for out. The Marines managed just a dribbler of an infield single through six innings, and with the game entering its final three innings, Saiki could throw with even more confidence moving forward. He shut the Marines out in the seventh, and in the bottom of the frame, his catcher Ryutaro Umeno swatted his first (and only) home run of the year, a solo home run to left. Saiki would go the distance, with the lone scare coming in the final frame. With two outs and runners in scoring position, the final pitch of his complete-game shutout was a forkball that bounced once before Shogo Nakamura swung through it. Masterpiece complete.
1. Murakami’s Historic Perfection
April 12 @ Yomiuri Giants, Tokyo Dome
Murakami had begun the year in the bullpen and recorded a hold on April 1 against the Baystars. This emergency start against the Yomiuri Giants was not expected to last more than five innings, as he had not been properly stretched out to go long innings yet.
Those plans got altered in a hurry, though. He mowed down the Giants’ first three hitters in succession in the bottom of the first, and then repeated that feat for each of the next six innings. Not a single Giants runner reached base safely through those seven innings – eight ground outs, seven fly balls, one liner, and five strikeouts. Murakami was just six outs from a perfect game, with only 84 pitches of mileage on his arm. With the game’s outcome still in question and an inexperienced, potentially tired pitcher on the mound, Okada put his priorities in order. The bottom of the eighth would be given to set-up man Daichi Ishii. Murakami would not be given a shot at a perfecto, and would have to simply hope for his first career win instead.
Even this was not meant to be, though. The first pitch of Ishii’s relief appearance saw the score tied up on a solo home run by Kazuma Okamoto. In the end, the Tigers pushed a run across in the top of the tenth, as Kinami walked, reached second on a passed ball, was bunted over to third, and driven home by Chikamoto.
The team had a new ace, and as Murakami continued his dominance all season, he easily won the CL Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Awards.
I hope you have enjoyed watching the highlights and reading the blurbs I wrote about these. Stay tuned for more looks back on this amazing season in a few months, as I have plans to put it all in book format for the Tigers Nation!