Tag Archives: Yoshihisa Hirano

NPB news: April 24, 2024

It was tough-luck Wednesday for Anderson Espinoza in Osaka, “let’s throw away a lead in the name of history” Wednesday in Yokohama, and Dragons’ drought-ending Wednesday at Tokyo Dome.

In other news, Giants lefty Foster Griffin rejoined the team for the first time since he was deactivated following an oblique muscle injury suffered on April 6 against the DeNA BayStars.

In South Korea, SSG Landers slugger Choi Jeong set KBO’s career home run record Wednesday with his 468th, eight days after he pulled into a tie with former Lotte Marines, Yomiuri Giants and Orix Buffaloes slugger Lee Seung Yuop.

According to Yeohap’s Yoo Jee Ho, Lee set his record in 1,906 career games, while Choi needed 2,183 to match him. Lee hit 159 homers in Japan over 797 games.

Wednesday’s games

Buffaloes 4, Lions 3: At Osaka UFO Dome, Seibu scored three ninth-inning runs off Yoshihisa Hirano, costing Anderson Espinoza his fourth win, but Kenya Wakatsuki‘s ninth-inning leadoff single set the table for Kotaro Kurebayashi‘s walk-off single.

Marwin Gonzalez homered off a low 1-2 fastball from rookie Natsuki Takeuchi to open the scoring in the third. Leandro Cedeno doubled and scored on a Tomoya Mori single. It was the second hit for each. Mori scored from second on a Yuma Mune single.

Takeya Nakamura homered to open the ninth against Orix closer Yoshihisa Hirano, Ryusei Sato tripled high off the wall and scored when Shota Hiranuma doubled. The runner was sacrificed to third, Jesus Aguilar struck out, ShuJta Tonosaki walked and Yuji Kaneko got a happy 34th-birthday single off the end of the bat to tie it.

Continue reading NPB news: April 24, 2024

NPB news: March 30, 2024

Orix’s imports put on a show Saturday, and someone will have to tell preseason batting champ, Ryuki Watarai that pitchers are now actually trying to get him out in the regular season, because the rookie remains unstoppable at the top of the BayStars’ batting order.

Saturday’s games

Buffaloes 2, Hawks 0: At Osaka UFO Dome, Venezuelan newcomer Anderson Espinoza walked four but struck out three, and got Hotaka Yamakawa to hit into a pair of double plays over six scoreless innings.

Espinoza left with a 2-0 lead after compatriot Leo Cedeno blasted his first homer of the season, fulfilling a pre-game promise to his compatriot.

“Espinoza appeared to be nervous, understandably so, in his first Japan start, which made me a little nervous, too. But he got better as he went along,” manager Satoshi Nakajima said.

Continue reading NPB news: March 30, 2024