Roki Sasaki made a big adjustment and nearly went the distance, while his BFF, Hiroya Miyagi had a tough night in Sendai, where a high profile rookie earned his first win. Two Hanshin Tigers had big firsts in Hiroshima, while the Yakult Swallows and Yomiuri Giants both won in 12 innings on the road — the Giants win coming only after the umpires ignored the rules to deny them a ninth-inning run.
Wednesday’s games
Marines 2, Lions 1: At Chiba Marine Stadium, two fastballs into the game, Sasaki (6-2) was in trouble on a Shuta Tonosaki double and a Sosuke Genda single, but responded with three strikeouts and didn’t leave until he’d struck out 11 over eight innings.
Through the first two innings he’d given up three hits, all on first-pitch fastballs, while striking out five. Then he adjusted, opening with splitters and sliders to those guys.
Lotte took the lead against Kaima Taira (5-4), on a third-inning double by rookie shortstop Atsuki Tomosugi and a sweet single from Katsuya Kakunaka. And while Sasaki cruised with hitters hunting fastballs and flailing at splitters, Shogo Nakamura homered to make it 2-0 in the sixth.
Marines closer Naoya Masuda struck out the first two batters in the ninth before surrendering an infield single and an RBI double on a difficult but catchable ball in left to speedy defensive substitute Koshiro Wada.
With the tying run on second, the right-hander secured his 20th save with another strikeout.
Asked about Sasaki’s game, Kakunaka talked about his high expectations for the 21-year-old.
“He’s not there yet,” Kakunaka said. “I keep expecting him to strike out 27. I was next to him in the dugout at the end, but was thinking he could have been out there to the end.”
Continue reading NPB news: July 5, 2023
