BASEBALL
Dragons down Hawks 2-1 to even Japan Series
The Chunichi Dragons defeated the Softbank Hawks 2-1 at Yahoo Dome in Fukuoka on Saturday to force a deciding seventh game in the Japan Series.
The visiting Dragons scored all the runs they would need in the top of the first inning off Hawks starting pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada. Shortstop Masahiro Araki led off the game with a single to left, and first baseman Tony Blanco followed with a two-out walk. Designated hitter Kazuhiro Wada delivered the big hit, a two-RBI triple to right center.
Chunichi starting pitcher Kazuki Yoshimi stifled the Hawks over seven-and-two-thirds innings, allowing just five hits while striking out eight. His only blemish came in the fourth inning, when second baseman Yuichi Honda led off with a triple to left center and left fielder Seiichi Uchikawa’s followed with a single to right.
Game seven of the Japan Series will start at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday at Yahoo Dome.
Order by Time Order by Popularity
16 Comments
Login to comment
0
multitasker
I guess I`ll have to watch game 7....
0
Dotobock
What a climax. THis will be Ochiai's last game as manager. Having managed the Dragons for 8 years and turned this team into champions year after year, it'll be interesting to see how his team will compete against a team which is much better on paper. Almost all the so-called experts have the Hawks as big favorites. But they have a tendency to choke in big games.
0
TorafusuTorasan
This has been a low scoring series. No big game Albert Pujols "Mr. November" moments for the two best teams in NPB? I guess the Wada triple is the closest we get.
I admit ignorance about the tie rules here. Is it possible for game seven to end in a tie? Then what?
0
Dotobock
@TorafusuTorasan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Series
This season NPB started to have standarized balls. Until this season each team used different types of baseball. The baseballs used before this season carried further so you saw many more home runs. Where as the balls used now are similar to the ones used in Major League which has resulted in a dramatic drop in home runs. The new balls favor the pitchers. According to various pitchers they say these new balls break more than the balls used before and according to hitters these balls do not carry as far as the old balls. There were only 2 players with more than 30 home runs this year. That's probably the lowest in the history of Japanese baseball or one of the lowest. When that said, Nakamura for Lions had 48 home runs. That's impressive when the second best in his league had 25. Matsuda for Hawks.
Dragons have a weak line up. Their team average is 228! This is the weakest in the league. They do have good pitching though. That is their strength. Hawks won the league by 17.5 games. They were unbeatable in the pennant they also have better team ERA and average than Dragons but baseball tends to be a sport with lots of surprises so we'll see what happens.
0
calm down
Ochiai has certainly done a wonderful job..which begs the question of why the front office is punting him..tonight's come down to a 50-50 call and the finger has got to be pointed at the Hawks coaching staff who seemingly just cant finish the job..
0
multitasker
Bottom of the 9th, Dragons down by 3. Is there a miracle? Not likely with Falkenborg loking awesome in the 8th.
0
multitasker
Wow! F jut got nailed.... Bad luck for him, maybe a chance for the Dragons.
1
multitasker
Congrats to the Hawks and any fans here. Anyone? Another year of baseball is over. Hope the boys of summer are back next spring! I`ll be taking my daughter to her first game.
0
Dotobock
The better team won. Congrats to Hawks. The Hawks were strong this year. With Ochiai gone, and era is over. I doubt Dragons will be as strong as they have been. They really do not have such a strong team. Their line up is miserable. It is Ochiai's brains which has made the Dragons a winning team. Why the team is firing him is a big mystery.
0
lostrune2
So much for home-field advantage in this series. Home fans should be more intimidating to visiting players, while pushing its home team players to greatness!
0
calm down
Lots of tears again tonight for the Hawks players but this time joyful ones,justice is served the best side in Japan wins,although it should've happened a lot earlier..wonder if one of the Kansai sides can get hold of Ochiai the year after next.
0
TorafusuTorasan
A satisfying game 7. It may have been low scoring like all the rest, but I appreciated the pitching and managerial strategy as Dotobock mentioned.
@multitasker--Falkenborg really did get nailed. I thought that was serious (career threatening) the way it hit his elbow and he couldn't even run after the ball, until I saw him smiling and raising his arms in the post game celebration.
Congratulations to the Hawks from a very casual fan! Way to take one for the team, Falkenborg!
0
Dotobock
Wada will be taking over for Mayumi for Hanshin next year. Wada is an ex Tigers player with no experience as manager like Mayumi. If the team was smart they would be going after Ochiai. Okada will be managing Orix next season. He is popular in Kansai I hear.
0
TorafusuTorasan
@Dotobock on Ochiai, "why the team is firing him"
Actually, it was his decision to resign after 8 years managing the Dragons. I thought it was a little odd for him to make that announcement right before the playoffs, but maybe it was to let the organization begin preparing for a transition to a new manager.
When teams fire managers, they are gone immediately. They are not given a grace period lasting to the end of the season.
0
TorafusuTorasan
Okada used to manage the Tigers, and he was Orix's manager this year. I can't vouch for how popular he is with his former team's fans, but he brought Orix very close to qualifying for the playoffs this year, meaning he will keep his job. The Orix fans were shown bawling in the stands after just barely missing the cut in the last week or two of the regular season.
0
calm down
@Torafusan,you said:When teams fire managers, they are gone immediately. They are not given a grace period lasting to the end of the season.Mayumi was fired,wasn't he ???Okada should have been fired for not getting that team to the playoffs,he was miserable as Hanshin manager and nothings changed..Orix fans were bawling farer and wider than the stands let me tell you.
Back to top