This past weekend represented the first of two straight long weekends here in Japan. What is normally “Golden Week” has been split in two, and the result is skewed schedules for our NPB clubs. The PL teams took last Friday off (and finish their three-game sets today), while many CL clubs will rest this coming Thursday after starting fresh matchups today. Anyhow, here’s the best of the best from last week.
Tuesday: Hiroki Tokoda spun eight shutout innings for his Hiroshima Carp, who blanked the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium, 2-0. Carp 27-year-old outfielder Koki Ugusa, who had five career home runs heading into this season, already has three this year. Tuesday’s was his first of two on the week.
Wednesday: Both finalists from last year pulled off some late-inning magic, but in different conditions and in unique ways. The Hanshin Tigers were behind the Yokohama Baystars by a pair heading into the top of the ninth inning in rainy Yokohama. They pushed four runs across against Baystars closer Yasuaki Yamasaki, who had been perfect on the season to this point. Meanwhile, the Orix Buffaloes hosted the Saitama Seibu Lions under the dome in Osaka, and took a 3-0 lead into the final frame. It vanished as the Lions hit for a “reverse cycle” (home run, triple, double, and single in a five batter stretch). However, in the bottom of the 10th, shortstop Kotaro Kurebayashi pulled a ball over the third baseman to walk the game off.
Thursday: The Swallows and Carp duked it out in one of the most thrilling games of the season. The Carp jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Swallows scored six runs in one foul swoop in the bottom of the second. They were unable to hang onto that four-run lead, and by the fourth inning, the game was knotted at six. The Carp pulled ahead in the sixth, 8-6, but then let the Swallows back into the game, allowing runs in the sixth and eighth. In the ninth, with closer Ryoji Kuribayashi on the mound, Swallows outfielder Domingo Santana went the opposite way on a high outside fastball. Walk off win, 9-8 Swallows.
Friday: Flashy rookie outfielder Ryuki Watarai of the Yokohama DeNA Baystars started the season with two home runs in two games. He then went stone cold for nearly a month. But on this night, he collected three hits, including a grand slam in the eighth inning that put the game out of reach for the visiting Yomiuri Giants. The Baystars won comfortably by a 7-2 final score.
Saturday: The Rakuten Eagles punched four runs through in the eighth inning against the struggling Chiba Lotte Marines, handing them their seventh straight loss (4-1 on this day). The late rally ruined a solid outing from starter CC Mercedes (6 shutout innings, giving him a 0.78 ERA on the year so far). The Marines would exert their revenge on Sunday, though, obliterating the Eagles by a 10-1 score.
Sunday: The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks walked off Lions for the second straight day, this one in a very unfortunate way for the visitors. With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the twelfth, a pass ball gave the runner on third base an easy run home. This was the sixth walk-off loss this year for Lions (and third on the week). They have now lost 15 straight extra-innings matches (including last year).
Good Week: Hawks (5-0), Tigers (3-1-1)
Rough Week: Marines (1-4), Lions (1-4)
For standings and leaderboards, check these links:
- NPB Standings
- Central League Hitting Leaders
- Central League Pitching Leaders
- Pacific League Hitting Leaders
- Pacific League Pitching Leaders
