2019 Seibu Lions Weekly Digest: Matsumoto wins debut

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The Saitama Seibu Lions went 4-2 against the Softbank Hawks and Orix Buffaloes on a six-game road trip. At 20-21-1, they're slightly out of A-class, but only one game separates second place from fifth place in the Pacific League.

Here is how everything went down:

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The first game came from Kitakyushu with Kona Takahashi against Arata Shiino, where the latter made his first career start. After a wild pitch brought the Hawks first blood, the Lions power set the tone off Shiino. Shuta Tonosaki hit a three-run HR while Shogo Akiyama and Hotaka Yamakawa followed that up with solo HRs to take the starter out of the game in the third inning.

This wasn't a clean outing from Takahashi, as he allowed five runs and continued to allow men on base. Two of those runs came without a hit as he balked a run in. Solid defense from Sosuke Genda limited any damage as both teams traded runs throughout the night. Takeya "Okawari-kun" Nakamura hit a three-run HR in the fifth inning which put the game away for good as the Lions took the first game of the series.

Lions 11, Hawks 7

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Game two returned to the Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome with Kotaro Otake and Keisuke Honda. The Lions scored first off a solo HR from Yamakawa in the 2nd, but the Hawks responded with a HR from Alfredo Despaigne in the 4th.

Shuta Tonosaki gave the Lions a lead with a timely hit in the 5th inning, but Honda failed to get a shutdown frame in the bottom half. With two outs, Kenta Imamiya hit a gapper to tie the game and Despaigne hit a two-run HR for a 4-2 Hawks lead. Yamakawa chipped away in the top of the 6th with another solo HR and the Lions bats failed on several chances.

Ryosuke Moriwaki was given three innings of work and he kept this a one-run game despite a jam in the 6th. Defense from Genda kept a few ground balls from being hits.

It wasn't until the 9th inning where an unlikely two-run HR from Tonosaki off Yuito Mori gave the Lions the lead for good. Tatsushi Masuda closed it to extend the win streak at three. It was the first career win for Moriwaki.

Lions 5, Hawks 4

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The final game had Rei Takahashi facing Daiki Enokida. Both teams had issues scoring off the starters with Yurisbel Gracial and Okawari-kun hitting solo home runs through five innings for a 1-1 score. It was extremely face-paced, but Takuya Kai broke it with a two-out HR in the 7th inning.

The Hawks scored three more runs which included a timely hit from Gracial to end any chance. Seibu's chances were minimal with two outs and R. Takahashi controlled this one as the Lions streak ended at three.

Hawks 5, Lions 1

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The week shifted to Osaka with Kohei Suzuki taking on Shinsaburo Tawata. An early 3-0 lead came for the Lions with timely hits from Tonosaki and Fumikazu Kimura, but it evaporated quickly. In the fourth, Tawata gave up three consecutive hits and the game was tied from a 3-run HR from Masataka Yoshida.

Hotaka Yamakawa hit a two-run HR in the 5th, but Chris Marrero responded with his own in the 7th to tie it again. Both teams had chances late in the game, but the Lions took advantage of Genda's leadoff double as he scored from a sacrifice fly by Tomoya Mori. Okawari-kun hit a HR to put the game on ice as the Lions took the opener of the series.

Lions 7, Buffaloes 5 (10 innings)

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Game two had Tatsuya Imai facing Kohei Suzuki. Mori had a timely hit in the first for a 1-0 lead. With two in scoring position in the fourth, Kakeru Yamanobe rushed a throw to first and threw it away, leading to both of them touching home plate for a 2-1 lead.

The Lions had two chances in the 6th and 7th with a runner in scoring position, but left them on base each time and they lost this one in a close affair. Imai would go seven innings in a losing effort.

Buffaloes 2, Lions 1

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The final game had Tyler Eppler against Wataru Matsumoto, where the latter was making his ichi-gun debut. Early timely hits from Kuriyama and Kimura gave the Lions a 3-0 lead to begin, but Matsumoto ran into a jam in the 5th. He was able to limit the damage with only two runs, while a groundout ended the damage.

Matsumoto successfully went five innings with four hits allowed, two walks and one strikeout. Katsunori Hirai took over and had two scoreless innings in relief. The Lions pulled away from this game in the top of the 7th when Tomoya Mori hit a grand slam. Tonosaki also added a two-run HR to put icing on the cake as the Lions took the series.

Lions 9, Buffaloes 3

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The comeback win in Fukuoka was the difference maker in a winning week vs. a .500 week. If anything, that porch in the Yafuoku! Dome was huge, because all home runs in that game would not have counted if it had dimensions prior to 2015.

If anything, the Lions are still in the hunt and not falling behind, but neither are any other Pacific League teams. Of course this is another irregular week with two home games in Okinawa and three-game home series against the Fighters coming up. All these games have meaning, but the pitching will need to be better.

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