The Hanshin Tigers received great news on Monday, as ninth year import pitcher Randy Messenger was named to his first ever all-star team. He was also joined by Kento Itohara (first time) and Yuta Iwasada (second time). Yoshio Itoi was voted in by the players. (Unfortunately, Itoi has been diagnosed with a broken bone in…
The Tokyo Yakult Swallows had an incredible interleague mini-season. In fact, they became just the second Central League team to finish with a better record than all PL teams. They looked to parlay that momentum into a spot near the top of the CL standings, but if the Tigers have their way, it will be…
You expect to win two, if not three when you’re playing against a bottom-feeding team like the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. The Tigers barely pulled it off – but hey, we’ll take the wins any way we get them. Game 58 – Kids Back in Kanemoto’s Good Books? Starting Pitchers: Shintaro Fujinami vs. Wataru Karashima…
After a lot of rain and mediocrity during the week at Koshien, the Tigers took their act on the road for the final week of interleague play. First stop: Sapporo Dome to face the resurgent Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. Given the powerful bats they have, Hanshin would need theirs to come out and play, plus…
Hanshin used its two best pitchers against the Hawks, to no avail. Now they were left with the back end of their rotation, against the powerful Saitama Seibu Lions hitting order. This had the making of an ugly weekend and a terrible start to interleague play. Game 48 – Another Great Start Wasted Starting Pitchers:…
It had been four years since the Tigers swept a 3-game series against the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien Stadium. Bringing in a 19-year old rookie against a pitcher who was undefeated against the Tigers this season did not seem like a recipe for ending that streak. Then again, you can’t predict baseball. Starting Pitchers: Hiroto Saiki (0-1, 7.50…
I have to admit, it’s a special atmosphere at these games against the Yomiuri Giants. But in the seven that I have seen at Koshien, the home team has won just one (against five losses and a tie). And this one twice looked like it would end in a loss or tie. But it didn’t. Starting…
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….
When wins are not coming easy, you don’t take any of your opponents for granted. Even if they are the Chunichi Dragons. Even if they’re putting a developing pitcher on the mound. And especially when your own starter is unproven. But the team pushed runs across when they needed them, and the pitching was rock-solid in…
With a huge win on Tuesday and our best pitcher due up on the mound today, it looked like the Tigers might be well on their way to avenging a sweep at Koshien by these same Yomiuri Giants just a few weeks back. But a couple of judgment lapses by the sophomoric third baseman might…