2019 Seibu Lions Weekly Digest: Yamakawa's home runs not enough in opening series

The Saitama Seibu Lions were swept to start the season against the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. They're currently winless, which means they're in last place of the Pacific League through the first series. Here is how it all went down:

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Opening Day featured Kodai Senga and Shinsaburo Tawata as the team's respective aces. Early on, Tawata couldn't draw any whiffs and allowed some timely hits and a solo HR from Nobuhiro Matsuda. The fifth inning was killer, where a two-out walk to Yuki Yanagita started a rally and two more runs were plated as a result from hits by Seiichi Uchikawa and Seiji Uebayashi.

Despite the 4-0 hole, the Lions couldn't muster any offense against Senga, who dominated through five frames. In the sixth, the Lions loaded the bases with one out, but Hotaka Yamakawa and Tomoya Mori both struck out. Through a miracle, the game was tied off Ren Kajiya in the 8th inning with a grand slam by Yamakawa. What hurt after was no runs and two runners on as Fumikazu Kimura failed batting 9th.

Both sides had chances and it went to extra innings. Kyle Martin stranded the bases in the 10th while Hiroshi Kaino dominated the Lions for two innings. Deunte Heath came in for the 11th and failed to record an out, resulting in a sayonara gapper by Alfredo Despaigne for the loss.

Hawks 5, Lions 4 (11 innings) 

Game note:

-Yamakawa's grand slam was the first by a Lion on Opening Day since Tsutomu Ito in 1994.

-Ryusei Sato made his NPB debut as a defensive replacement in the 11th inning at 3B when coming in for Takeya "Okawari-kun" Nakamura. They pinch ran Daichi Mizuguchi during the top of the 11th.

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Game 2 featured Tatsuya Imai against Ariel Miranda. Early on, Imai looked like he would get destroyed with a scary first inning, but limited the damage with a fielder's choice being the only run. Takumi Kuriyama hit a two-run HR and the Lions scored two more through timely hits a little later.

The horror came for Imai in the 5th when Shuta Tonosaki couldn't field a ball and throw it to first cleanly, loading the bases for Yuki Yanagita with two outs. Yanagita hit a grand slam after Imai earlier walked in a run to create an insurmountable 6-4 lead. Yamakawa hit a solo HR, but it wasn't enough.

Hawks 6, Lions 5

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The final game in this series had Rei Takahashi against Kona Takahashi. Both sides did not score for four innings with good defense on each end. Okawari-kun broke up the tie in the 5th with a solo HR. The Hawks answered in the 6th when Yuki Yanagita hit a two-run HR. Offensively, the Lions couldn't respond and K. Takahashi allowed another HR to Uebayashi in the 7th.

This capped off a swept series, something the Lions are used to when playing in Fukuoka.

Hawks 3, Lions 1

Game note:

-Deunte Heath was deactivated while Jen-Lei Liao was activated in his place on the ichi-gun roster.

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Unfortunately some things did not go the team's way. Remember that this is the Softbank Hawks and the Lions just couldn't catch them hungover or napping early. Pitching is suspect, but Kona Takahashi's outing is mostly an encouragement, if not seeing how the bullpen looked minus Deunte Heath. A team cannot be judged by three games despite their record.

Best thing? This isn't the NFL where an 0-3 record feels like the end of the world. There's lots of baseball to still be played.

The weekly digest could take a hiatus next week depending on if a trip happens or not. You'll be informed via Twitter if it happens.

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