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We had Monday baseball for the second straight week, with SoftBank hosting one of its company parties for Kanto area employees by hosting a game at Tokyo Dome. This year’s boasted an old-timers’ matchup between Tsuyoshi Wada and Masahiro Tanaka.

And while that was going on, Monday was also Roki Eve, with Sasaki’s first start after interleague pushed back a few days, setting up a matchup between him and his WBC BFF, Hiroya Miyagi in Osaka.

Eagles 3, Hawks 2: At Tokyo Dome, there wasn’t much to tell the difference between Wada and Tanaka in this one, but Tanaka (4-4) allowed a run over seven innings, while the Eagles tagged Wada (5-3) for two runs over five, putting better swings on his pitches than the Hawks managed.

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DeNA entered Sunday’s game a half-game behind Hanshin, whom they’d beaten 12 straight times at home. SoftBank was also going for a sweep over Orix at home in Fukuoka, and Seibu was doing the same against Rakuten in Sendai.

Sunday’s games

Deniers 5, Tigers 3: At Yokohama Stadium, Hiroto Saiki’s trouble with his command continued, but his pitches in the zone were hittable, and DeNA took advantage of him, scoring four runs off him, the first he’d allowed since giving up a run in 7-2/3 innings against Yomiuri on May 28.

Hanshin threatened a few times, and DeNA was lucky not to blow the lead in the seventh, when a well-struck ball off the bat of Yusuke Oyama off J.B. Wendelken was snagged at short for the second out with two on. Yasuaki Yamasaki earned his 17^th save while Saiki’s record fell to 5-4.

DeNA-Tigers highlights

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writing & research on Japanese baseball

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NPB news: June 26, 2023

NPB news: June 25, 2023

Sunday’s games

DeNA-Tigers highlights

writing & research on Japanese baseball