After four no-hit shutouts last season, Japan had its first of 2023 on Friday with Shuta Ishikawa of all people going the distance on 127 pitches, while needing only the tiniest bit of extra effort from his fielders as the Seibu Lions hit into one easy out after another in an 8-0 SoftBank Hawks win.
Continue reading NPB news: Aug. 18, 2023All posts by Jim Allen
NPB news: Aug. 17, 2023
Tsuyoshi Wada was awfully good, but not enough to overcome Tomoya Mori, Hiroya Miyagi and the Buffaloes. Masahiro Tanaka was outpitched by up-and-coming Seibu lefty Chihiro Sumida, Hiroki Tokoda had one of his better games, and the Marines found themselves firing blanks for the second straight night.
Thursday’s games
Buffaloes 2, Hawks 1: At Osaka UFO Dome, Tsuyoshi Wada (6-5) allowed a run on four hits over six innings without a walk, while Hiroya Miyagi (8-4), pitched out of trouble after walking three and hitting one over six innings.
Kenta Imamiya doubled and scored in the first on a single by Yuki Yanagita, who was thrown out on the bases, while Tomoya Noguchi singled to open the Buffaloes’ first and scored on a Tomoya Mori sacrifice fly.
The Hawks left three on in the top of the fourth, and Mori snapped the tie with his 13th home run, leading off the bottom of the inning. Three Buffaloes relievers followed Miyagi with Yoshihisa Hirano getting his 20th save.
Continue reading NPB news: Aug. 17, 2023