As I mentioned in yesterday’s live blog I intended to go to Tokorozawa for today’s game. Clearly I am not there (for reasons too complicated to explain) so I’m kicking out another live blog. On the hill today is the always-interesting Karakawa. As I’ve mentioned repeatedly this season he has to be the hardest-luck pitcher …
Tag: Takehara
A Ham-Free Weekend, Part 1
On an unseasonably cool summer night the relief from the recent Lotte troubles showed up at Makuhari (the moon really was that beautiful tonight – that’s an actual picture from the game). Over the last three weeks Lotte has dropped 14 or 16, including 9 in a row to Nippon Ham, but tonight good ol’ …
Game Report: Fighters vs Lotte, 28 July
I took a bit of a break when the team did for the All-Star break, so everyone involved needs a bit of time to get back into the swing of things. The first game after the break started a lot like the last few games as visiting Nippon Ham jumped on Lotte starter Kobayshi in …
Game Report: Lotte vs Orix, 14 July
The 9 game road trip rambles on, and on Tuesday Lotte came to Kyocera Dome to exact some revenge for the current 4-game losing streak and 2-7 record vs Orix this season. Lotte starter Shimizu went 9 very strong innings, but unfortunately the game went 10. Lotte scored a run in the top of the …
Game Report: Lotte vs Rakuten, 7 July
When I was young, my daddy used to sit me on his lap and tell me, “Son, let me tell you something about baseball. Don’t listen to any naysayers. A grand slam in the top of the first – before your opponent even gets a chance to bat – is a really good thing. You’ll …
Interleague Game 24: Ending on a Good Note
After yesterday’s loss to the evil Kyojin I predicted a big Lotte win for today. Whaddya know, I got one right! Today, Lotte pounded out 9 runs on 11 hits – with 4 homers, too – as they won the last game of Interleague 2009 in the Tokyo Dome, 9-4. Around this time I would …
Interleague Game 23: Three Up, Three Down
Though the blog title typically means an inning where the batters are retired in order, today it also has a deeper, sadder meaning – after three consecutive wins last week, Lotte has now dropped three in a row including today’s 5-2 loss to the hated Giants. Lotte came out with guns blazing as leadoff batter …
Interleague Game 20: Chiba Clutch City
Wow, what a well-played game for both teams! The final game of 2009 between Lotte and Hanshin (barring a 2005 Japan Series rematch) had it all – a pitching duel, great defense, unexpected plays, and best of all – a clutch hit to drive in the winning run in a 4-1 Marines victory. Lotte starter …
Game Report: Seibu vs Lotte, 5/16
Friday’s first game in the Seibu-Lotte series was a washout (though for some reason various publications reported the score as ‘Seibu 18, Lotte 0’, which is a really odd thing to report for a rainout. I guess we’ll just look past it as if it never happened) so Saturday Lotte was looking to recover their …
Game Report: Lotte vs Softbank, 5/13
Tonight the 3-game set with Softbank shifted from the Yahoo Dome to just down the road in Kitakyushu. Looking to build on last night’s tense 2-1 win, Lotte put on quite a show, pummeling the Hawks on their own turf 7-0. It was a multi-pronged attack, helped in great part by the new rule change …