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The Saitama Seibu Lions went 4-2 in their first homestand with fans allowed against the Chiba Lotte Marines. By taking the series, they moved into A-class and sit one game behind the first place Softbank Hawks and 1/2 a game behind the Rakuten Eagles. How did it all happen? Here's our recap.
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Game 1: Tatsuya Imai vs. Minabu Mima
Imai dug an early 3-1 hole when Yudai Fujioka had two timely hits. However, the Lions answered in the with key hits from Takumi Kuriyama and Cory Spangenberg for a 4-3 lead. They pulled away in the next inning when Spangenberg was clutch again and Shohei Suzuki had a key extra base as Mima was left in to dry. Imai earned his second win of the season as a result with the final score being 8-3.
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Game 2: Kona Takahashi vs. Kazuya Ojima
Takahashi allowed several hits and was fortunate to not give up more. What proved to be critical was a solo HR in the 6th from Seiya Inoue. The Lions had a chance in the 7th, but only scored one run off Ojima with a non-hit RBI and the Marines bullpen held firm. They also had two on base in the 8th inning, only for Kuriyama to strikeout in a 2-1 loss.
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Game 3: Kaito Yoza vs. Daiki Iwashita
Yoza allowed only two runs off timely hits by Hisanori Yasuda and Shogo Nakamura in the first inning. Sosuke Genda got a run back on a timely hit from the bottom of the frame.
In the second inning, another chance came for the Lions with the tying run in scoring position. Seiji Kawagoe hit his first career HR for a two runs and gave the Lions the lead. The scored remained 3-2 for the rest of the game as Yoza fought through five innings and had some perfect defense behind him, but he also helped his own cause with a liner right in his face being caught.
Katsunori Hirai, Kaima Taira, Reed Garrett and Tatsushi Masuda had no trouble taking an inning each and Yoza earned his first career win.
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Game 4: Zach Neal vs. Ayumu Ishikawa
The Lions were depending on Neal to hold a 2-0 lead when Hotaka Yamakawa hit a two-run HR in the first inning. Neal gave up a run in the fourth and sixth innings, with the latter coming off a timely hit from Inoue. He went six innings, but earned a no decision, keeping the game tied and an opportunity for the Lions. With Naoya Masuda in the game, he gave up a leadoff bunt single to Genda, which was followed by a bunt and intentional walk. Shuta Tonosaki came through on a timely sayonara to end it with an identical 3-2 score from the previous game.
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Game 5: Keisuke Honda vs. Atsuki Taneichi
Atsuki Taneichi was unstoppable and Keisuke Honda did the best he could through 6+ innings. Both sides didn't allow a run until the 7th, where a timely hit came through Tsuyoshi Sugano. Even though it was 1-0, the Lions offense was dead without Kuriyama or Takeya Nakamura in the lineup while Taneichi took advantage of a base running blunder by Shohei Suzuki. Taneichi finished the game on his own while striking out Cory Spangenberg stranding runners in the process.
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Game 6: Daiki Enokida vs. Toshiya Nakamura
Both starters were able to last five innings, but no one beyond that. The Lions struck first on an RBI double from Kuriyama, the 350th of his career. Enokida gave up two runs with timely hits from Inoue and Brandon Laird.
The Lions answered in the 6th when Fumiya Ono started pitching for the Marines. With Tonosaki reaching base, Takeya Nakamura hit the gap to tie it and Kuriyama had another double for the go-ahead run. Even Fumikazu Kimura added an extra run when finding a timely hit. The bullpen of Hirai, Taira, Garrett and Masuda did their jobs again cleaning out the Marine bats for a 4-2 win.
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This was a solid series with even both losses being winnable. The only odd thing? It's clear the offense can be better. Tomoya Mori specifically has been a dud on offense and has no reason to bat third in the lineup. Others have shown they can come through, but it is awkward that the veterans Nakamura and Kuriyama are the ones carrying this offense? Yes.
Next week in Fukuoka will be telling, as it's usually a house of horrors, but if anything, this team has shown they can compete.
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