2021 Seibu Lions Weekly Digest: Defense carries Opening Series win

 

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The Saitama Seibu Lions took the opening series with two out of three games against the Orix Buffaloes to begin the 2021 NPB season. They're tied for second place with the Rakuten Eagles having a 2-1 record. Here is how it all went down:

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Game 1: Kona Takahashi vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Kona Takahashi went 7.1 innings with three earned runs. The Lions capitalized offensively with three runs scored through an error by Orix on the field, including a backbreaker from Ryo Ohta. Orix chipped away at a 4-0 lead where Takahashi allowed home runs against Masataka Yoshida and Yuma Tongu.

Hatsuhiko Tsuji left him in the game longer, but after allowing some hits and a third run, Kaima Taira and Tatsushi Masuda were forced to clean up the mess with the tying run on base for both the 8th and 9th innings. With the Lions winning it was their sixth Opening day win in the last seven years. It was also the 10th consecutive Opening Day loss for Orix, which padded the Pacific League record. The Hanshin Tigers hold the NPB record at 11. 

Lions 4 Buffaloes 3

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Game 2: Syota Hamaya vs. Hiroya Miyagi

Miyagi dominated most of the game, allowing one earned run in the first inning to Hotaka Yamakawa, but settled in for seven frames. Hamaya was able to go 4.2 innings, but had moments of struggling with location and control. He threw a wild pitch with a runner on third base and Tetsu Miyagawa did the same when inheriting runners in the fifth. This was the difference maker as the Lions had the bases loaded in the 7th, but only scored when Gakuto Wakabayashi was hit by a pitch. Yuji Kaneko flied out shortly after adn the Lions bats couldn't solve Orix's pitching

Buffaloes 3 Lions 2

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Game 3: Katsunori Hirai vs. Taisuke Yamaoka

Tomoya Mori hit a two-run HR in the first inning and that was enough off Yamaoka. Hirai went six innings while stranding several runners through the first three innings, but settled in for the fourth and fifth. Key strikeouts prevented any runs on the board. Insurance came when Takeya Nakamura had a two-out single, plating two runs. Reed Garrett gave up the only run in the game, with a solo HR to Kotaro Kurebayashi. Otherwise, this turned out to be a solid team win. 

Lions 5 Buffaloes 1

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This series has some concern with how the staff left Kona Takahashi in for an extra inning. They're giving him the ace treatment when he still has yet to prove it. Call it desperation, but they were hoping to save the bullpen for other games. Let's hope they understand when he's out of gas and not to try to force the issue they way they did in the 8th inning. 

Otherwise, the defense looks good, offense not so much. Lots of raw players with growing pains. 

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