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The Saitama Seibu Lions went a combined 3-2 against the Chiba Lotte Marines and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. They remain in B-class by only half a game.
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Game 1: Towa Uema vs. Ayumu Ishikawa
Uema was able to last five innings with only one run allowed to earn his first career win. He had just enough run support when Takeya Nakamura had a timely hit with runners on second and third scoring. Sosuke Genda also had an RBI groundout in the 5th. The bullpen took over this game from the 6th with Tetsu Miyagawa, Reed Garrett, Kaima Taira and Tatsushi Masuda not allowing a run as the Lions won their first game in eight tries.
Lions 3 Marines 1
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Game 2: Tatsuya Imai vs. Kazuya Ojima
Imai went seven innings and only allowed two runs, including a solo HR to Leonys Martin. This was another pitcher's duel where Ojima limited the damage himself with two runs, including a timely hit by Nakamura and solo HR from "Aito" Takeda.
The difference came in the 8th inning, where Takumi Kuriyama took a high pitch from Yuki Karakawa into the visitor section for a solo HR. Taira stranded a runner at third while Masuda closed it out for their second straight win.
\Lions 3 Marines 2
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Game 3: Sho Ito vs. Daiki Iwashita
Ito gave up four runs in the first inning and only recorded one out to set the tone of this game. Leonys Martin's two-run HR was all the Marines needed as the Lions were held to four hits. They scored twice in the first inning, but couldn't muster up anything else off Iwashita, who went six frames. The Lions couldn't sweep the Marines as a result of this loss.
Marines 5 Lions 2
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Game 4: Kona Takahashi vs. Drew VerHagen
Takahashi put in a strong outing with one run allowed through six innings. The Lions offense came at the help of Fighters players being out of position. Nakamura dropped a bloop into the outfield with the opposition playing in and timely hits from Aito and later Sosuke Genda helped pad the lead.
The Fighters best chance came in the fifth inning with the bases loaded, but a fielder's choice and strikeout on Kensuke Kondo ended any threat. It was the fourth win of the season for Takahashi.
Lions 5 Fighters 1
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Game 5: Keisuke Honda vs. Naoyuki Uwasawa
Honda went five innings and allowed only one run. With the Lions scoring insurance runs in the 8th and 9th innings, this one should've been over at 4-1. However, Tatsushi Masuda struggled to record an out and gave up a two-run HR to Sho Nakata as well as a tying double to Taishi Ota.
Tetsu Miyagawa was brought in with two runners, but after giving up a lineout, he walked two consecutive batters, including a sayonara against a hitless Kenshi Sugiya on four pitches. It was the second time the Lions have lost a game when leading in the 9th by three runs.
Fighters 5 Lions 4
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Game 6: Katsunori Hirai vs. Robbie Erlin
This game was cancelled due to the Fighters having a recent COVID-19 outbreak. Four players were removed from their ichi-gun roster including Haruki Nishikawa and Takuya Nakashima before the series.
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That ended in a disappointment thanks to Masuda. Can only hope he can recover from this having a blown lead several consecutive weeks.
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