On Wednesday in Japan, the DeNA Deniers came their closest yet to recognizing that their graduate of MLB’ sexual assault suspension program has had issues in his past. Until now, the club has portrayed his signing as run of the mill, player released, player signed, end of story, without mentioning his suspension or the fact that 20 MLB teams wouldn’t pay a penny to have the former Cy Young Award winner disgrace their public image.
Also, two of the Yomiuri Giants’ Samurai Japan players continued to cut a swath through the Central League leader board on a night when the CL went 4-2 in interleague.
Wednesday’s games
Giants 7, Lions 1: At Tokyo Dome, Kazuma Okamoto hit his NPB-best 16th home run, breaking a 1-1 third-inning tie, the Giants scored two more runs in the inning, and Shosei Togo (8-1) allowed a run over six innings to take over the league lead in wins. Yoshihiro Maru, who has been on a home run tear, did not hit another but doubled twice, singled, scored twice and drove in a run, while Sho Nakata had two hits, including the 1,500th of his career.
Hawks 3, Swallows 2: At Jingu Stadium, Yakult lefty Keiji Takahashi (2-4) allowed a two-run homer to Ryoya Kurihara and a solo shot to Japan teammate Kensuke Kondo, his 10th, while Nao Higashihama (5-5) held the Swallows to two runs over five innings.
Swallows-Hawks highlights
Tigers 8, Buffaloes 3: At Koshien Stadium, Yuki Nishi (4-4) became the 20th pitcher in Japan to earn a win against 12 different NPB teams, allowing two runs over six innings against his former team. The Tigers whacked Orix’s top signing from last year’s draft, 22-year-old Ryuhei Sotani (0-2) for six runs in 3-2/3 innings.
Johan Mieses broke a 1-1 first-inning tie with an RBI single and Teruaki Sato followed with a two-run double. Sheldon Neuse reached base three times, scored and drove in two for the Tigers.
Tigers-Buffaloes highlights
Carp 4, Eagles 3: At New Hiroshima Citizens Stadium, Hideto Asamura tied it in the ninth with his 11th home run off reliever Takuya Yasaki, who is currently filling Ryoji Kurihara’s closer role, but the Carp returned the favor in the bottom of the inning, scoring off Yuki Matsui (1-2) to win it.
Takashi Uemoto singled to open the inning. Ryosuke Kikuchi, who doubled in two runs in the second off Masahiro Tanaka and bunted his way on twice, sacrificed the runner to second, and Takayoshi Noma, who doubled in the Carp’s go-ahead run in the seventh, singled in Uemoto for the sayonara win.
Deniers 2, Fighters 1: At Yokohama Stadium, Takayuki Kato (4-5) took the complete game loss after surrendering Neftali Soto‘s two-run fifth-inning double. Chusei Mannami stayed one homer ahead of Hideto Asamura with his 12th.
DeNA-Nippon Ham highlights
Marines 2, Dragons 1: At Nagoya Dome, Hisanori Yasuda doubled and scored in the second off former Marine Hideaki Wakui (2-7), Kyota Fujiwara doubled and scored in the fifth on a Koki Yamaguchi single, and Atsuki Taneichi (4-2) allowed a run over 5-2/3 innings while striking out nine. Four relievers allowed just two base runners over the final 3-1/3 innings with Naoya Masuda earning his 17th save for the PL leaders.
