Top of the week to y’all. It might sometimes feel like we write too much about the stars. But that’s because they play like stars! There were a few new records and rarities this past week, and I know you won’t want to miss any of them. Here we go!
Tuesday: For the first time in nine years, four games were played at countryside ballparks: the Chunichi Dragons played host to (and defeated) the Hanshin Tigers in Toyohashi (Aichi); the Yakult Swallows were the home team despite playing closer (Ehime) to visitor Hiroshima’s fan base; the Yomiuri Giants and Yokohama DeNA Baystars traveled up to Toyama; the Orix Buffaloes and Chiba Lotte Marines went the opposite way (south, to Okinawa) for their match.
Wednesday: Swallows’ third baseman Munetaka Murakami became the youngest player ever to reach 200 career home runs. At age 24 and 3 months, he set a new standard that had held for over thirty years, as he eclipsed Kazuhiro Kiyohara’s record of 24 years, 10 months, set back in 1992. His solo shot in the bottom of the eighth inning was the perfect punctuation mark for his teammate, rookie Kengo Matsumoto, who became the first rookie to throw a complete-game shutout in his pro debut in 16 years. He struck out 10 Hiroshima Carp batters en route to a 2-0 win.
Thursday: In the lone game of the day, the Tigers benched first baseman Yusuke Ohyama for the first time since 2022, and his replacement, Fumihito Haraguchi, hit a three-run home run and had four RBIs as the visitors blasted the Dragons 9-4 at Vantelin Dome.
Friday: The Carp shut out Giants behind outstanding pitching from Daichi Ohsera. They won this game 2-0, and went on to sweep the weekend series, winning 4-3 on Saturday and 9-3 on Sunday. The Carp have moved into second place in the Central. Meanwhile, scouts from 10 MLB teams were in Chiba to watch the Roki Sasaki show. The flamethrower didn’t disappoint, going eight strong innings and allowing just three hits and one run while striking out twelve Fighters. He also touched 162 km/h (100.6 mph) on the radar gun. Unfortunately, all his Marines managed was to tie the game, 1-1.
Saturday: Baystars side-throwing starter Hayate Nakagawa hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning while also going six innings and allowing two runs in a 3-2 victory over the Dragons. Nakagawa hit 26 home runs in his high school career, as well. Given that it traveled halfway up the left-field stands in Yokohama, we find it hard to believe that was a one-off. May there be many more to come!
Sunday: All three Pacific League games ended in walk-off wins. The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks walked off the Saitama Seibu Lions (for the fourth time this year) as Kensuke Kondoh doubled home Yuki Yanagita in the bottom of the ninth to give his team a thrilling 2-1 win. Not to be outdone, Hiromi Oka of the Marines helped his team walk away winners against the Fighters, despite blowing an early 3-0 lead. He hit a home run over the left-field wall, giving his team a series sweep and a 4-3 win. Also not to be outdone (in the blown lead department, anyways), the Buffaloes collapsed in the ninth inning against the Eagles, coughing up two runs, only to ultimately walk the game off the bottom of the tenth on a Yuma Mune single to center field for a 3-2 final. It was the third time in PL history that all three games ended in a walk-off on the same day.
Good Week: Carp (4-1), Hawks (4-1), Marines (3-0-2)
Rough Week: Lions (0-5)
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
