Sunday, May 9, 2021

2021 Seibu Lions Weekly Digest: Dermody makes solid debut, Taira carries bullpen

 


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The Saitama Seibu Lions went 2-2-2 against the Orix Buffaloes and Softbank Hawks. With no winning week, the Lions sit in fourth place 1.5 games out of A-class behind the Marines. 

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Game 1: Matt Dermody vs. Hiroya Miyagi

Dermody went five scoreless innings and allowed a combined five hits, three walks with three strikeouts, but the Lions failed to give him runs support with Miyagi continuing his dominance of the Lions. With a scoreless game in the top of the 6th, Tetsu Miyagawa gave up a three-run HR to Yuma Tongu and it was a lead Orix wouldn't give up. 

The Lions looked like they were chipping away at the lead in the 7th with two runs and Nien Ting Wu looked like he hit a double on the LF line while the bases were loaded. However, it was ruled a foul ball even after a request and he struck out shortly after. Haruka Yamada couldn't get a base hit with Motoki Higa pitching the last out and the game was all but over. Ryosuke Moriwaki made his first 2021 ichi-gun appearance and gave up a three-run HR to Yuma Mune to seal any chance of a comeback. It was the fourth straight loss against Orix. 

Buffaloes 6 Lions 3

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Game 2: Towa Uema vs. Daichi Takeyasu

Uema gave up three runs through four innings, including a solo HR to Masataka Yoshida. For the Lions, the offense wasn't all bad with "Aito" Takeda having three RBIs and two hits. With both starters not lasting long, it was a reliever game where the Lions looked like they had an upperhand leading 6-4 in the 7th inning after Takumi Kuriyama had a timely infield single. 

However, a combination of Miyagawa allowing a leadoff runner on base to Stefen Romero hitting a two-run HR off Ryuya Ogawa tied the game. Chances were blown on both sides as Cory Spangenberg struck out in the 8th. Reed Garrett appeared to have injured his leg with a ball striking him, leaving Moriwaki in a bases loaded jam, but he got a 3-2-3 double play to secure a tie. Sosuke Genda had a chance for one last gasp, but grounded out with a runner on third base to have a draw. 

Lions 6 Buffaloes 6

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Game 3: Tatsuya Imai vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Imai was able to go 7.2 innings with Kaima Taira finishing the last 1.1 in a team effort win. Sosuke Genda had a modasho while Tomoya Mori hit a two-run HR. Taira recorded his first save of the season when finishing the game as Imai won his second consecutive decision. 

Lions 6 Buffaloes 2

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Game 4: Kona Takahashi vs. Shunta Ishikawa

Ishikawa was dominant against the Lions by going eight innings with eight strikeouts. It didn't look like the Lions would score after wasting a bases-loaded, no out chance in the third inning. The Hawks scored on a double play groundout as well as a solo HR from Ukyo Shuuto to make it 2-0. Takahashi went seven frames with only the HR as the earned run. 

Hotaka Yamakawa hit a solo HR in his first ichi-gun game back from injury and it proved to be critical. Takumi Kuriyama followed up in the 7th with a solo HR and the game was tied. In the bottom of the 8th, the Hawks loaded the bases with one out and Kenji Akashi pinch hitting. But he hit liner to Sosuke Genda and the runner at third was doubled up for a 6-5 double play. 

Reed Garrett finished the game in the 9th and the Lions were able to salvage a draw in a game they struggled with offensively. 

Lions 2 Hawks 2

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Game 5: Wataru Matsumoto vs. Nick Martinez

Matsumoto pitched a gem with six shutout frames with five strikeouts and five hits allowed. The Lions scored early on a timely hit from Kuriyama, but a strong throw from Yuki Yanagita prevented another from coming. It wasn't until the 6th inning when Aito had a double off the wall for the second run of the game. Ryosuke Moriwaki took the 7th while Kaima Taira struck out Takuya Kai with two runners on base. 

Reed Garrett created the ultimate drama when he walked three batters to load the bases. However, he got Yanagita to ground out and keep the Hawks off the board for only his second save of the season, both were in Fukuoka. 

Lions 2 Hawks 0

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Game 6: Katsunori Hirai vs. Yuki Matsumoto

The Lions only scored once in the first inning on an RBI groundout from Kuriyama. Hirai went six innings with nine strikeouts and one run allowed on a sacrifice fly from Takuya Kai in the 6th. In the 7th, Shota Takekuma allowed a runner and Ryuya Ogawa failed to get Yuki Yanagita out for the game-losing run. Akashi added another timely hit in the 8th off Ken Togame for insurance as the Lions bats were no threat. 

Hawks 3 Lions 1

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It's better to draw than lose, but it's tough to think this team can be a playoff squad with the lack of offense. Surprisingly they did alright without Tatsushi Masuda, who was taken off the ichi-gun roster before the games began. Just have to hope Kuriyama can keep hitting to get to 2,000. 

Otherwise, let's hope Matt Dermody has a set of strong outings this month.  

I also wanted to take the time to let everyone know the rest of the this month will be a vacation one.  Will not return until the end of May. Planning to go East with what's missing. 


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Saturday, May 1, 2021

2021 Seibu Lions Weekly Digest: Wins followed by heartbreak

 


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The Saitama Seibu Lions went a combined 3-2 against the Chiba Lotte Marines and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. They remain in B-class by only half a game. 

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Game 1: Towa Uema vs. Ayumu Ishikawa

Uema was able to last five innings with only one run allowed to earn his first career win. He had just enough run support when Takeya Nakamura had a timely hit with runners on second and third scoring. Sosuke Genda also had an RBI groundout in the 5th. The bullpen took over this game from the 6th with Tetsu Miyagawa, Reed Garrett, Kaima Taira and Tatsushi Masuda not allowing a run as the Lions won their first game in eight tries. 

Lions 3 Marines 1

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Game 2: Tatsuya Imai vs. Kazuya Ojima

Imai went seven innings and only allowed two runs, including a solo HR to Leonys Martin. This was another pitcher's duel where Ojima limited the damage himself with two runs, including a timely hit by Nakamura and solo HR from "Aito" Takeda. 

The difference came in the 8th inning, where Takumi Kuriyama took a high pitch from Yuki Karakawa into the visitor section for a solo HR. Taira stranded a runner at third while Masuda closed it out for their second straight win.

\Lions 3 Marines 2

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Game 3: Sho Ito vs. Daiki Iwashita

Ito gave up four runs in the first inning and only recorded one out to set the tone of this game. Leonys Martin's two-run HR was all the Marines needed as the Lions were held to four hits. They scored twice in the first inning, but couldn't muster up anything else off Iwashita, who went six frames. The Lions couldn't sweep the Marines as a result of this loss.

Marines 5 Lions 2

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Game 4: Kona Takahashi vs. Drew VerHagen

Takahashi put in a strong outing with one run allowed through six innings. The Lions offense came at the help of Fighters players being out of position. Nakamura dropped a bloop into the outfield with the opposition playing in and timely hits from Aito and later Sosuke Genda helped pad the lead. 

The Fighters best chance came in the fifth inning with the bases loaded, but a fielder's choice and strikeout on Kensuke Kondo ended any threat. It was the fourth win of the season for Takahashi. 

Lions 5 Fighters 1

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Game 5: Keisuke Honda vs. Naoyuki Uwasawa

Honda went five innings and allowed only one run. With the Lions scoring insurance runs in the 8th and 9th innings, this one should've been over at 4-1. However, Tatsushi Masuda struggled to record an out and gave up a two-run HR to Sho Nakata as well as a tying double to Taishi Ota. 

Tetsu Miyagawa was brought in with two runners, but after giving up a lineout, he walked two consecutive batters, including a sayonara against a hitless Kenshi Sugiya on four pitches. It was the second time the Lions have lost a game when leading in the 9th by three runs. 

Fighters 5 Lions 4

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Game 6: Katsunori Hirai vs. Robbie Erlin

This game was cancelled due to the Fighters having a recent COVID-19 outbreak. Four players were removed from their ichi-gun roster including Haruki Nishikawa and Takuya Nakashima before the series.

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That ended in a disappointment thanks to Masuda. Can only hope he can recover from this having a blown lead several consecutive weeks. 

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