Sunday, April 25, 2021

2021 Seibu Lions Weekly Digest: Swept in Osaka, failure to win


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The Saitama Seibu Lions had a disaster week of 0-5-1 against the Orix Buffaloes and Rakuten Eagles on the road. With a failure to win a game, they dropped to B-class and could remain there if this pace continues. 

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Game 1: Towa Uema vs. Daiki Tajima

This looked to be a high scoring affair with both teams scoring three runs after three innings. However, the Lions bullpen failed to stop the Buffaloes offense as all starters for Orix had at least one. Wataru Matsumoto took the loss in relief while it was tie while Yasuo Sano and Ichiro Tamura combined to allow six runs in the 8th inning for a Buffaloes rout. 

Buffaloes 11 Lions 3

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Game 2: Tatsuya Imai vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Imai stayed with Yamamoto in a tight pitcher's duel and even had a lead in the 6th inning. However, Adam Jones had a timely hit to tie the game and Imai was left in the game too long for the 7th inning as Yuma Mune hit a two-run HR to be the game winner for Orix. Sosuke Genda had a three-hit game, but it wasn't enough. 

Buffaloes 4 Lions 2

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Game 3: Sho Ito vs. Hirotoshi Masui

With the Lions mostly playing a bullpen game, this game was tied at three after six innings. It appeared the Lions would pull away in the 8th when they scored three as "Aito" Takeda cleared the bases on a double. This wouldn't last as Tatsushi Masuda allowed a bases-clearing double by Takahiro Okada and timely single from Yutaro Sugimoto to lose the game, all with two outs. It was the first blown loss for Masuda since 2019. 

Buffaloes 7 Lions 6

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Game 4: Kona Takahashi vs. Hideaki Wakui

This was a tight pitcher's duel with Takahashi allowing only two solo HRs to Brandon Dixon and Hiroto Kobukata through seven innings. Wakui looked like he would go the distance, but with two outs, Takeya Nakamura had a timely hit in the 8th inning to tie the game. Cory Spangenberg reached base five times with a two hits, including a timely double in his first ichi-gun game of the season. Both sides ended in a stalemate for a tie. 

Lions 2 Eagles 2

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Game 5: Keisuke Honda vs. Masahiro Tanaka

Honda allowed two runners on base in the first inning with two outs and should have escaped his jam on a grounder. However, the ball bounced off Nakamura's foot and into the outfield for a run by error. Takero Okajima added another run and that was all the Eagles needed on offense. The Lions had only four hits on the day and Nien Ting Wu had the lone timely hit. A failed bunt by Aito for a double play in the 8th sealed the deal in another low scoring loss. 

To add to this already bad result, Tomoya Mori left the game with an injury.  

Eagles 2  Lions 1

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Game 6: Katsunori Hirai vs. Takahisa Hayakawa

Hirai gave up five runs in the second inning and the Lions had no chance to defeat the Eagles rookie. It wasn't until the 5th inning where the Lions scored, but they already dug themselves a large hole. It was their sixth straight loss in their last eight games played. 

Eagles 8 Lions 4

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The near-worst case scenario happened with zero wins this week. Offense is below average while the pitching as a whole is the same. That's a combination for disaster. Who knows what lies ahead? The seat should be pretty warm for Hatsuhiko Tsuji. 

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