For many baseball players who make the long slog through the minors in an effort to earn a job in MLB, Japan becomes the next best thing — not what they dreamed of but high level competition in front of good crowds.
Seibu Lions pitcher Bo Takahashi, however, grew where the ethnic Japanese community has made Sao Paulo Brazil’s baseball hot bed. For him Japanese baseball was the thing.
“I always wanted to play here in Japan since I was a kid,” the 26-year-old Brazilian right-hander said at Seibu Dome. “In my childhood, I grew up watching Japanese baseball. My idol was Daisuke Matsuzaka, so I grew up watching him with Seibu. Talking to Seibu and being here with Seibu is a blessing.”
Tomoyuki Sugano had another solid outing, Tomoya Mori left a game hurt, Chusei Mannami showed off his arm, twice, struggling two-time Central League MVP Munetaka Murakami was dropped from Yakult’s starting lineup, and the Fighters and Buffaloes had a sendoff for a former player, while DeNA’s resident cretin, Trevor Bauer, delivered his second childish display in two starts and this one was a doozy.
A big day at the plate for Tomoya Mori proved to be a disaster on the bases.
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Buffaloes 3, Fighters 1: At Kitahiroshima Taxpayers Burden Field, an Orix bullpen day, kicked off by three scoreless innings from Jharel Cotton, held Nippon Ham to a run.
Reserve infielder Sho Gibo doubled to open the Buffaloes’ third against Naoyuki Uwasawa (6-5) and scored on a Kenya Wakatsuki double. With the score tied 1-1 in the fifth, Gibo singled and scored on Yuma Mune’s two-run double.
Yuma Mune’s two-run double.
A third run might have scored in the inning, but Mune was out at the plate trying to score on a single, the second scalp taken in the game by right fielder Chusei Mannami.
Chusei Mannami guns down Orix’s Yuma Mune.
Yoshihisa Hirano worked the ninth for the Buffaloes to earn his 12th save. Tomoya Mori went 3-for-3 with a double and a walk, but had really poor luck on the bases.
Gunned down by Mannami in the second after his leadoff double, Mori had to be carted off the field in the eighth inning after injuring his left calf when he tried to stop suddenly and reverse course after overrunning second base.
