Category Archives: News

NPB news-plus: July 19, 2024

On Friday in Japan, another pitcher came within spitting distance of a no-hitter until home runs left him a two-hit complete-game loser, Tyler Austin went off at Jingu Stadium, Seiya Hosokawa and Hiroto Takahashi stopped Yomiuri, and Carter Stewart Jr. continued to roll, and at a park that has really given him trouble, although it should be illegal to call Seibu’s summer sweat box a “park.”

Far from the field, we had some huge news, largely because of how Japan handled it.

Friday’s games:

Fighters 2, Marines 1: At Chiba Marine Stadium, Takuya Kato (4-6) struck out six without a walk over 7-1/3 innings to outduel fellow lefty Kazuya Ojima (7-7), who went the distance in a two-hitter complete-game loss.

Kazunari Ishii broke up the scoreless game, and Ojima’s no-hit bid, by leading off Nippon Ham’s eighth inning by drilling his third home run well back into the right-field stands. Yuya Gunji made it 2-0 off the Marines lefty in the ninth with his eighth home run before the Marines got a run in the ninth off Fighters closer Seigi Tanaka, who earned his 15th save.

Continue reading NPB news-plus: July 19, 2024

NPB news: July 17, 2024

On Wednesday in Japan, a young Lion threw his first shutout, Orix manager Satoshi Nakajima questioned his players’ attitude, Jake Scheiner decided a shutout, a castoff continues to have a happy time in Hokkaido, while another player celebrated having a new baby, and a player better known for his arm had a big day with the bat.

Wednesday’s games:

Lions 6, Buffaloes 0: At the domed stadium formerly known as “Prince,” 23-year-old Seibu right-hander Minato Aoyama (1-2) threw his first career complete game, a three-hit three-strikeout 106-pitch shutout.

“His weapon is changing speeds,” Lions GM and interim skipper Hisanobu Watanabe said. “He doesn’t have an amazing fastball, but he is able to jam hitters.”

Orix’s Hiroya Miyagi (3-5) allowed just one walk over the first 5-1/3 innings while striking out six, but surrendered four straight hits, a sacrifice fly and two more hits before he left the mound trailing 5-0. Lions rookie Takayoshi Yamamura homered to complete the scoring in the eighth.

In their last six games, all on the road, the Buffaloes have been shut out four times, and manager Satoshi Nakajima said it didn’t help that players were acting like everything is normal.

“It’s absolutely no good putting on a calm face and going about your business,” he said. “I think that’s our weakness right now.”

Continue reading NPB news: July 17, 2024