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The Saitama Seibu Lions went 2-3-1 against the Fighters and Eagles in a tight Pacific League race away from home. They currently sit 1.5 games ahead of the Softbank Hawks in first place.
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Injuries and more
Kaima Taira was taken off the ichi-gun roster due to his finger being injured. The Lions also lost Seiji Kawagoe this week as Gakuto Wakabayashi took his roster spot. Notably, the Lions also called up veteran Tetsuya Utsumi.
With the catcher position being shorthanded, the Lions has to sign Hitoto Komazuki to an Ikusei contract in order to have someone catching ni-gun games. Masatoshi Okada is out for the season.
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Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
The Lions failed to score for most of the series and even though they had a one-run lead in the first game, Tatsushi Masuda couldn't record an out and allowed Keisuke Kondo to hit a sayonara three-run HR.
They even tried to stretch Wataru Matsumoto to 10 innings, which also resulted in a sayonara loss. A draw in the second game was salvaged as the bullpen only allowed one run through seven innings.
Fighters 5 Lions 3
Lions 2 Fighters 2 (12 innings)
Fighters 3 Lions 2
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Rakuten Eagles
Takeya Nakamura reached two milestones with one swing as a solo HR off former Lions pitcher Takayiki Kishi was both his 450th career HR and 1,000th run scored.
Tatsuya Imai and Kaito Yoza both provided decent starts. However, the third game is the black cloud as Dietrich Enns was left in too long after a weather delay.
With a 3-0 lead in the 7th, the Lions didn't use any reliever until it was too late as two HRs tied the game before Yoshinobu Mizukami gave up the losing run in the 8th.
It was a failed opportunity by the Lions bullpen decision to keep the starter in too long.
Lions 5 Eagles 1
Lions 6 Eagles 4
Eagles 4 Lions 3
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For now, the mood isn't good for how the bullpen decisions could be in the final months of the season. This team could be trending down if they don't use the bullpen or feel uncomfortable with it.
Brian O'Grady had a decent series in Sendai, but is he stat padding against a team who has questionable starting pitching?
Offense looks below average and the bullpen could be gassed.
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