NPB’s two long winning streaks came to a halt on Sunday, with as the two league leaders each suffered their first losses in July
Buffaloes 5, Hawks 2
Orix’s Chris Marrero blasted a three-run double to cap a five-run eighth inning after SoftBank starter Yuki Matsumoto dominated for 7-2/3 innings. The right-hander retired 22 of the first 25 batters he faced before walking Shunta Gota and allowing a two-out single to Yuma Mune.
Hawks center fielder Go Kamamoto came within a hair of snaring Shuhei Fukuda’s sinking liner and ending the inning, but it fell for a game-tying double. With two outs and the bases loaded, Marrero drilled a mistake to the track, and Brandon Dickson pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.
The game highlights are HERE.
Marines 8, Lions 2
With Lotte wearing their Hawaiian-shirt jerseys, lefty Seiya Dohi (1-0) repeatedly pitched out of trouble as Seibu racked up 10 hits and six walks but managed just two runs.
After the Lions left the bases loaded in the top of the inning, the Marines rallied for four in a bizarre inning. A wind-assisted error, a walk, a sacrifice, and a throwing error by pitcher Wataru Matsumoto made it 2-1. A walk and a double made it 3-1, and a throwing error by center fielder Shogo Akiyama capped the inning.
The game highlights are HERE.
Fighters 6, Eagles 3
After “short starter” Takayuki Kato allowed a run in two innings and Bryan Rodriguez allowed two runs over three frames, the Nippon Ham Fighters bullpen allowed just two runners over four scoreless innings as the visitors came from behind to hand Rakuten its ninth straight loss. The losing streak is the Eagles’ longest in two years.
The game highlights are HERE.
BayStars 6, Giants 4
DeNA came from a run down in the sixth by scoring four times off rookie Yomiuri right-hander Takuya Kuwahara (0-1) who suffered the loss in relief. Hikaru Ito, traded to the BayStars last summer from Orix, capped the four-run inning with his second home run in two days.
“I was too big a hurry to throw strikes and that was that,” Kuwahara said.
The loss snapped Yomiuri’s seven-game win streak.
Venezuelan left-hander Sammy Solis, signed from the BayStars’ developmental roster in June, allowed a run in the eighth inning in his first-team debut. While the Giants’ Scott Mathieson faced two batters in the ninth as he returned from an injury layoff.
The game highlights are HERE.
Dragons 7, Swallows 1
Chunichi’s Yuya Yanagi (9-2) struck out eight and scattered eight hits over eight innings to overcome Tetsuto Yamada’s leadoff homer in the first. Yakult starter Hirotoshi Takanashi (4-5) blew the game up in a 10-man, six-run first inning.
Tigers 1, Carp 0
Lefty Haruto Takahashi (2-2) struck out nine over eight innings and Rafael Dolis threw a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 18th save.
Hiroshima rookie Hiroki Tokoda (5-5) allowed a run over seven innings, taking the tough loss after Yusuke Oyama doubled in Yoshio Itoi in the seventh inning.
The loss was the Carp’s
The game highlights are HERE.
News
Tigers complete Solarte signing
The Hanshin Tigers have completed their acquisition of 32-year-old utility infielder Yangervis Solarte on a one-year contract worth a reported 50 million yen.
Tigers skipper Akihiro Yano said, “Our expectations for him are primarily with his bat. His being able to switch hit will give us more lineup options.”
Eagles, Giants swap players
The Yomiuri Giants sent 23-year-old outfielder Ren Wada to the Rakuten Eagles on Sunday for 23-year-old right-hander Yuri Furukawa.
Wada was the Giants’ second pick in the 2014 draft and led the Eastern League in home runs and RBIs last year.
