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The Saitama Seibu Lions had a 3-3 week against the Orix Buffaloes and Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. At one point, they were in sole possession of fourth place, but currently share that position with the Fighters with a 33-37-2 record.
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Game 1: Kona Takahashi vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Takahashi threw a complete game shutout and nearly no-hit the Orix Buffaloes for his fifth win of the year. It was his fifth career complete game. With some great defense behind him and Masatoshi Okada catching, he had eight innings without allowing a hit and one walk, facing the minimum number of batters up to that point.
Pinch hitter Masahiro Nishino broke up the no-hit bid with a single up the middle. Even with base runner in a tight 2-0 game, Kona Takahashi still earned the shutout for the third of his career. On offense, the Lions manufactured a run with a bunt and RBI groundout from Okada in the 5th inning. It was followed up with Sosuke Genda stealing a base and Hotaka Yamakawa getting a clean timely in the 6th.
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Game 2: Tetsuya Utsumi vs. Daiki Tajima
The Lions scored nine runs in the first two innings off Tajima to make this game a laugher. Cory Spangenberg, Sosuke Genda and Shuta Tonosaki each had modashos to put this one away. Utsumi allowed four runs through four innings and was replaced by Ken Togame in the 5th, who went 3.1 innings, earning his first win in his first ichi-gun game of 2020. With a 13-5 win, the Lions took their fourth consecutive series.
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Game 3: Katsunori Hirai vs. Daichi Takeyasu
Hirai was lit up for five earned runs and the Orix Buffaloes won a 12-4 laugher. Takumi Kuriyama helped score two runs early on, but thee Buffaloes pulled away with the Lions making their own self inflicting mistakes. This game was capped off by Adam Jones reaching a milestone of 2,000 career combined hits between MLB and NPB. Cory Spangenberg hit his 10th HR in the 6th inning as a consolation.
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Game 4: Zach Neal vs. Matt Moore
Moore allowed two runs and three hits through seven innings in what was a pitcher's duel. Neal allowed first blood with two runs in the third inning, but the Lions tied the game in the top of the 4th when Ernesto Mejia hit a two-run HR. Neal was unable to get a shutdown frame and gave up a solo HR to Alfredo Despaigne to make it 3-2. He was an unlucky loser in this one as the Hawks didn't allow a hit for the remainder of the game in a 4-2 loss.
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Game 5: Sean Nolin vs. Shota Takeda
The Lions couldn't stop Hiroaki Takaya as the Hawks cruised to another easy win. Takaya hit a three-run HR and a timely single for the team's first four runs and Yurisbel Gracial hit a HR. Nolin was knocked out after three innings as a result. Takumi Kuriyama, Hotaka Yamakawa and Wataru Takagi each hit a HR, but the Lions already trailed 7-0 when it happened. It was the first career HR for Takagi as a consolation. Yamakawa hit his 150th career HR.
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Game 6: Wataru Matsumoto vs. Shunta Ishikawa
Shuta Tonosaki hit a solo HR on the second pitch of the game and that was all the scoring in this matinee. Matusmoto went seven innings and continued to strand runners throughout the night, including a bases-loaded situation in the 7th. While he allowed doubles and gave up base runners, he got the ground ball when necessary. Kaima Taira had minimal issues in the 8th, but Tatsushi Masuda had the game-losing run on second base with the tying run on third. A strikeout and a foul lineout ended this one in a 1-0 victory for the Lions, ending a three-game skid.
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At .500 for the week, it's not bad, but obviously not good. Better than being swept in Fukuoka and with the starting pitching having some good outings, it's an encouragement from Neal, Takahashi and Matsumoto. Let's hope they can continue to push forward even though it's unlikely they'll see postseason baseball.
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