A 6-run 8th inning flipped a 2-0 deficit into a crucial 6-2 win for the Hanshin Tigers against the Orix Buffaloes Thursday night in Game 5 of the Nippon Series at a raucous Koshien Stadium. The Tigers lead the Series 3-2 with Game 6 set for Saturday at the Osaka Dome. After a scoreless three innings Marwin Gonzalez, whose quality and versatility both at the plate and at second base have been huge for the Buffaloes this week, opened the scoring with a solo home run in the 4th inning off Tigers starter Kotaro Ohtake who went 5 innings on the night. The score remained 1-0 until the 7th when Buffaloes pitcher Daiki Tajima drew a leadoff walk off reliever Junya Nishi. Two batters later Yuma Mune's pop fly to shallow centerfield dropped in front of Koji Chikamoto, leaving Tajima in no man's land as Chikamoto quickly collected the ball and forced Tajima at second. With Mune now occupying first, Tomoya Mori's routine grounder to second was misplayed first by Takumu Nakano, and as Mune reached third base Shota Morishita bobbled the ball in right field allowing Mune to sprint home on the two errors increasing Orix's lead to 2-0. Tajima's night ended after he set the Tigers down in order in the bottom of the 7th, his line reading 4 hits allowed with one walk while fanning 5 over seven shutout frames. Then came the 8th where Soichiro Yamazaki took over in relief and it all fell apart for the Buffaloes. The undoing began when Seiya Kinami's high chopper to second was thrown wildly by Ryoichi Adachi to first allowing Kinami to advance to second. Pinch hitter Kento Itohara then lined an opposite field single to left, and with runners at the corners Chikamoto singled to right scoring Kinami to make it 2-1. Following a sacrifice bunt by Nakano that moved the runners to second and third, Orix manager Satoshi Nakajima decided to bring in Yuki Udagawa, for the third consecutive night. It was the big reliever's fourth appearance in five days and the task proved too much as Morishita, drafted last October fresh out of college, redeemed himself with a triple into the left-center gap to put the home team up 3-2. Yusuke Ohyama then sent a looping single into center field scoring Morishita, and it was suddenly 4-2 as a thoroughly depressed Udagawa departed to the dugout where his teammates did their best to console him. Sheldon Neuse then drew a walk, and two batters later with two outs Seishiro Sakamoto lofted a fly deep and over an inexplicably drawn in outfield for a 2-run triple to seal the Buffaloes' fate. It's the first time in Nippon Series history that a team achieved two triples in the same inning. A gutsy win by the Tigers and one that gives them complete momentum heading back to the Kyocera Dome for Game 6. As for the Buffaloes, they will need to rebound mentally following two crushing defeats. The defending champions must win the final two games to retain their title and, logically speaking, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Hiroya Miyagi are the two aces one would want for the job at home. But they also must face Shoki Murakami. Saturday cannot come soon enough. Official NPB highlights Pro Yakyu News extended highlights
Sat 28 Oct - Game 1 : Buffaloes 0, Tigers 8 Sun 29 Oct - Game 2: Buffaloes 8, Tigers 0 Tue 31 Oct - Game 3 : Tigers 4, Buffaloes 5 Wed 1 Nov - Game 4 : Tigers 4, Buffaloes 3 Thu 2 Nov - Game 5 : Tigers 6, Buffaloes 2 Sat 4 Nov - Game 6, Kyocera Dome Osaka (18:30) Sun 5 Nov - Game 7, Kyocera Dome Osaka (18:30) Tigers lead Series 3-2
Saturday 4 November Game 6 Probables 18:30 Buffaloes : Yoshinobu Yamamoto (16-6, 1.21 ... 1-1, 8.53) Tigers : Shoki Murakami (10-6, 1.75 ... 2-0, 0.69)
In what was likely his final NPB outing with the Orix Buffaloes, Yoshinobu Yamamoto set a Nippon Series record with 14 strikeouts in a 5-1 complete game victory over the Hanshin Tigers in Game 6 Saturday night at the Osaka Dome. The 3-time Triple Crown and Sawamura Award winning Yamamoto tossed 138 pitches in a stellar gem that gave the Orix bullpen a much needed night off as the season goes to a seventh game to decide the 2023 NPB Championship. The 14 whiffs in the must win game breaks the previous record of 13 held by Yu Darvish (2007 Game 1) and Kimiyasu Kudo (1999 Game 1). But the domination by the Samurai ace appeared unlikely early on given the traffic on the bases put on by the Tigers offense. Sheldon Neuse put Hanshin in front in the top of the 2nd inning with an opposite field home run that barely cleared the wall near the right field line. The blast was not only the Tigers first homer of this Series, it was Hanshin's first Nippon Series home run since Game 7 of the 2003 edition vs the Daiei Hawks (hit by Katsumi Hirosawa). Following the one-out homer the Tigers threatened a rally as Teruaki Sato doubled, Kento Itohara singled and Seishiro Sakamoto was struck in the foot on a pitch to load the bases before Yamamoto struck out the dangerous Koji Chikamoto to end the inning. The Buffaloes hit back in their half of the frame with two runs off the Tigers Game 1 hero Shoki Murakami. Marwin Gonzalez led off with a single to center and Yutaro Sugimoto’s towering flyball off the roof of the dome was ruled a ground rule double setting up Kenya Wakatsuki's RBI single to tie it at 1-1. Keita Nakagawa put Orix in front with what ultimately turned out to be the game winning hit with a sacrifice fly to deep left field scoring Sugimoto from third. Hanshin nearly tied it in the 4th but with runners at the corners and two outs Tomoya Mori made a great catch at the wall in right field off Chikamoto's deep drive to right, the grab being upheld by video replay. As Yamomoto settled in with 8 strikeouts over 5 innings, Kotaro Kurebayashi added insurance with a two-run homer to make it 4-1. After allowing just 2 hits over 7 shutout innings in Game 1, Murakami departed after the 5th inning of Game 6 having allowed 4 earned runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. Meanwhile, Yamamoto retired 10 consecutive batters until Chikamoto and Takumu Nakano singled with 2 outs in the 7th but managed to escape without conceding a run. After seven innings, Yamamoto was at 109 pitches but with relievers Yuki Udagawa needing rest and Soichiro Yamazaki out of form, manager Satoshi Nakajima decided to let his star pitcher go the distance in what would likely be his final game before heading across the Pacific to MLB. Yuma Tongu added the finishing touch with a home run in the 8th off Yuki Nishi, Hanshin's Game 2 starter who, despite the homer, did a good job in relief of eating innings to save all the bullpen arms for Game 7. For Yamamoto, after a rough start it was an inspiring performance from the 5th inning on. In the 9th inning he recorded his record breaking 14th punch out on a 98 mph fastball to pinch hitter Ryo Watanabe on his 133rd pitch. After Chikamoto grounded out to second for the final out, Yamamoto gave his battery mate Kenya Wakatsuki one final embrace... unless he somehow comes out of the bullpen during Game 7. In his post-game Hero interview, he stated that "it's a secret" on whether he would be available on Sunday. So after lowest scoring game of the Series so far, not only is the 2023 Nippon Series tied at 3-3 but the runs scored is also even at 23-23. Who doesn't love a Game 7? Official NPB highlights Pro Yakyu extended highlights
Sat 28 Oct - Game 1 : Buffaloes 0, Tigers 8 Sun 29 Oct - Game 2: Buffaloes 8, Tigers 0 Tue 31 Oct - Game 3 : Tigers 4, Buffaloes 5 Wed 1 Nov - Game 4 : Tigers 4, Buffaloes 3 Thu 2 Nov - Game 5 : Tigers 6, Buffaloes 2 Sat 4 Nov - Game 6 : Buffaloes 5, Tigers 1 Sun 5 Nov - Game 7, Kyocera Dome Osaka (18:30) Series tied 3-3
Sunday 5 November Game 7 Probables 18:30 Buffaloes : Hiroya Miyagi (10-4, 2.27 ERA ... 2-0, 0.00) Tigers : Koyo Aoyagi (8-6, 4.57) The quotes on Hanshin starting Aoyagi are a mix of "I believe in you Aoyagi!" and "WTF, start Itoh"— Gaijin Baseball/外国人野球 (@GaijinBaseball) November 4, 2023
After a 38 year long wait, the Hanshin Tigers captured their second ever NPB championship on Sunday after defeating the Orix Buffaloes 7-1 in Game 7 of the Nippon Series. Despite suffering a disappointing 2023 season in which he failed to have an appearance in post-season play, 2022 ERA and wins leader Koyo Aoyagi was handed the start with everything to play for and came up big, hurling 4-2/3 innings of shutout ball allowing just 4 hits and 1 walk and just missing out picking up the win.' Buffaloes starter Hiroya Miyagi began as advertised, retiring the first 10 batters he faced until the 4th when things fell apart. Shota Morishita singled with one out for the Tigers first hit of the game, then Miyagi went too far inside on an 0-2 count and drilled cleanup hitter Yusuke Ohyama putting runners on first and second. American gaijin Sheldon Neuse, who had a disappointing debut season in Japan batting just .240 with a .328 slugging percentage and .623 OPS, then followed up his home run off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 6 with a rocket blast off Miyagi to put the Tigers up 3-0. It was the first home run by a non-Japanese Hanshin Tiger in the Japan Series since team legend Randy Bass in 1985 and snapped Miyagi's post season scoreless streak at 20-1/3 innings. Miyagi's struggles continued into the 5th and after allowing two runners on base with two outs, manager Satoshi Nakajima decided to pull the plug on his southpaw star. 40 year old sidearmer Motoki Higa took over and was greeted with an RBI single from the rookie Morishita. Ohyama followed with an RBI infield hit and Neuse drove in his 4th run of the game to give the Tigers a commanding 6-0 lead. Game 3 starter Masashi Itoh came on in relief and worked three shutout innings to ultimately pick up the win. Morishita delivered another RBI single in the 9th, his 7th RBI of the week which set a new Nippon Series record for most RBIs by a rookie player. Closer Suguru Iwazaki entered with two outs in the Buffaloes final at bat but was greeted with a solo blast by Orix's breakout player of the season Yuma Tongu, his third home run of the Series. But it was a small blemish as Iwazaki induced Yutaro Sugimoto to fly out to Neuse in left field, and the Hanshin Tigers won the 2023 Nippon Series championship. It was a satisfying moment for Tigers manager Akinobu Okada, in his first season back guiding the team after having led Hanshin to the 2005 Japan Series where they were embarrassingly swept and outscored 33-4 by Bobby Valentine's Chiba Lotte Marines. Okada had also managed the Buffaloes from 2010-2012. Koji Chikamoto was named Most Valuable Player of the Series, heavily armed police blocked access to the Ebisubashi over the Dotonbori River, and every KFC in Osaka locked down every-Colonel-thing there was in sight as Hanshin fans gathered in celebration.. And I cannot stop smiling. Official NPB highlights
Sat 28 Oct - Game 1 : Buffaloes 0, Tigers 8 Sun 29 Oct - Game 2: Buffaloes 8, Tigers 0 Tue 31 Oct - Game 3 : Tigers 4, Buffaloes 5 Wed 1 Nov - Game 4 : Tigers 4, Buffaloes 3 Thu 2 Nov - Game 5 : Tigers 6, Buffaloes 2 Sat 4 Nov - Game 6: Buffaloes 5, Tigers 1 Sun 5 Nov - Game 7 : Buffaloes 1, Tigers 7 Tigers win Series 4-3
Most Valuable Player Award: Koji Chikamoto (Tigers) Fighting Spirit Award: Kotaro Kubayashi (Buffaloes) Outstanding Player Award (3): Shota Morishita (Tigers) Sheldon Neuse (Tigers) Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Buffaloes) SMBC Everyone's Cheer Award: Yusuke Oyama (Tigers)
During the 2023 regular season, the average attendance of NPB was higher than that of MLB. A full look at the attendances of every NPB and MLB clubs for the 2023 regular season. NPB Central League NPB Pacific League MLB National League MLB American League NOTE: Every MLB team played 81 home games. *Half of the 12 NPB teams played 72 home games while the other half played 71. TOTAL ... AVERAGE .. TEAM 3,837,079 ... 47,371 Los Angeles Dodgers 2,915,528 ... 41,064 Hanshin Tigers (71)* 3,271,554 ... 40,390 San Diego Padres 3,269,016 ... 40,358 New York Yankees 3,241,091 ... 40,013 St. Louis Cardinals 3,191,505 ... 39,401 Atlanta Braves 2,708,315 ... 38,145 Yomiuri Tokyo Giants (71)* 3,052,605 ... 37,686 Philadelphia Phillies 3,052,347 ... 37,683 Houston Astros 3,021,904 ... 37,307 Toronto Blue Jays 2,535,061 ... 35,705 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (71)* 2,775,149 ... 34,261 Chicago Cubs 2,690,418 ... 33,215 Seattle Mariners 2,672,130 ... 32,989 Boston Red Sox 14,119,723 .. 32,913 - CENTRAL LEAGUE (429) 2,640,575 ... 32,600 Los Angeles Angels 2,607,935 ... 32,197 Colorado Rockies 2,280,927 ... 32,126 Yokohama DeNA BayStars (71)* 2,573,555 ... 31,772 New York Mets 2,551,347 ... 31,498 Milwaukee Brewers 38,260,732 .. 31,490 - NATIONAL LEAGUE (1215) 2,533,044 ... 31,272 Texas Rangers 2,500,153 ... 30,866 San Francisco Giants 2,183,950 ... 30,333 Chunichi Dragons (72)* 25,070,169 .. 29,219 - NIPPON PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL (858) 70,747,365 .. 29,114 - MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL (2430) 2,054,852 ... 28,540 Hiroshima Toyo Carp (72)* 1,976,151 ... 27,447 Tokyo Yakult Swallows (72)* 1,947,453 ... 27,048 Orix Buffaloes (72)* 32,486,633 .. 26,738 - AMERICAN LEAGUE (1215) 1,882,573 ... 26,515 Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (71)* 10,950,446 .. 25,526 - PACIFIC LEAGUE (429) 2,038,302 ... 25,164 Cincinnati Reds 1,803,994 ... 25,055 Chiba Lotte Marines (72)* 1,974,124 ... 24,372 Minnesota Twins 1,961,182 ... 24,212 Arizona Diamondbacks 1,936,798 ... 23,911 Baltimore Orioles 1,865,832 ... 23,035 Washington Nationals 1,834,068 ... 22,643 Cleveland Guardians 1,669,628 ... 20,613 Chicago White Sox 1,630,624 ... 20,131 Pittsburgh Pirates 1,422,853 ... 20,040 Saitama Seibu Lions (71)* 1,612,876 ... 19,912 Detroit Tigers 1,358,512 ... 18,868 Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (72)* 1,440,301 ... 17,781 Tampa Bay Rays 1,307,052 ... 16,136 Kansas City Royals 1,162,819 ... 14,356 Miami Marlins 832,352 ...... 10,276 Oakland Athletics
2023 Mitsui Golden Glove Award Winners (announced on 10 November) CENTRAL LEAGUE P: Katsuki Azuma (BayStars) 1st GG Award C: Seishiro Sakamoto (Tigers) 1st 1B: Yusuke Ohyama (Tigers) 1st 2B: Takumu Nakano (Tigers) 1st 3B: Toshiro Miyazaki (BayStars) 2nd SS: Seiya Kinami (Tigers) 1st OF: Koji Chikamoto (Tigers) 3rd OF: Yūki Okabayashi (Dragons) 2nd OF: Masayuki Kuwahara (BayStars) 2nd PACIFIC LEAGUE P: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Buffaloes) 3rd GG Award C: Kenya Wakatsuki (Buffaloes) 1st 1B: Akira Nakamura (Hawks) 4th 2B: Shogo Nakamura (Marines) 3rd 3B: Yuma Mune (Buffaloes) 3rd SS: Sosuke Genda (Lions) 6th OF: Ryosuke Tatsumi (Eagles) 3rd OF: Chusei Mannami (Fighters) 1st OF: Kensuke Kondoh (Hawks) 1st
On Monday 6 November, Samurai Japan gathered at SOKKEN Stadium in the Miyazaki City Kiyotake Sports Park in preparation for the 2023 Asian Professional Baseball Championships. The competition is essentially an U-24 tournament although 3 overage players (between ages 25-29) can be included on each team's roster. It will take place at the Tokyo Dome on 16-19 November. This will be the second edition of the tournament. Japan won the inaugural competition in 2017, and there was no tournament played in 2000/2001 in lieu of the baseball competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. "From Asia's #1 to the World's #1 - A new legend of Samurai Japan will be born here." In the 2017 tournament, Samurai Japan's roster included 5 players who would go on to play on the victorious 2023 World Baseball Classic team: Sosuke Genda Shota Imanaga Takuya Kai Kensuke Kondoh Hotaka Yamakawa
4 countries will be competing next week: Australia, Chinese Taipei, Japan and Korea. SCHEDULE Thu 16 Nov : 12:00 - Korea vs Australia Thu 16 Nov : 19:00 - Chinese Taipei vs Japan Fri 17 Nov : 12:00 - Australia vs Chinese Taipei Fri 17 Nov : 19:00 - Japan v Korea Sat 18 Nov : 12:00 - Australia vs Japan Sat 18 Nov : 19:00 - Korea vs Chinese Taipei Sun 19 Nov : 11:00 - 3rd Place/Consolation game Sun 19 Nov : 18:00 - Chmpionship Final Samurai Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata announced his 26-player roster for the tournament back on October 24. PITCHERS 15 Takahisa Hayakawa (Rakuten Eagles) 16 Chihiro Sumida (Seibu Lions) 17 Yuji Akahoshi (Yomiuri Giants) 19 Shunsuke Sato (Seibu Lions) 20 Rikuto Yokoyama (Lotte Marines) 21 Kojiro Yoshimura (Yakult Swallows) 34 *Kazuto Taguchi (Yakult Swallows) 37 Masaki Oyokawa (Hanshin Tigers) 47 Takuma Kirishiki (Hanshin Tigers) 48 *Tatsuya Imai (Seibu Lions) 50 Tatsuya Shimizu (Chunichi Dragons) 59 Haruka Nemoto (Nippon-Ham Fighters) *overage CATCHERS 22 Yuto Koga (Seibu Lions) 31 *Shogo Sakakura (Hiroshima Carp) 58 Kota Ishibashi (Chunichi Dragons) INFIELDERS 2 Shugo Maki (Yokohama BayStars) 5 Yuki Nomura (Nippon-Ham Fighters) 8 Teruaki Sato (Hanshin Tigers) 9 Tomoya Noguchi (Orix Buffaloes) 35 Makoto Kadowaki (Yomiuri Giants) 51 Kaito Kozono (Hiroshima Carp) OUTFIELDERS 1 Kyota Fujiwara (Lotte Marines) 23 Shota Morishita (Hanshin Tigers) 55 Yuto Akihiro (Yomiuri Giants) 60 Yuki Okabayashi (Chunichi Dragons) 66 Chusei Mannami (Nippon-Ham Fighters) On November 7 infielder Kotaro Kurebayashi (Orix Buffaloes) was forced to withdraw from the team after suffering a ligament injury to his right ring finger during the Japan Series. He was replaced by Yuki Nomura. I know of at least 2 players, both pitchers, who declined the invitation to play in the tournament: Kaima Taira (Seibu Lions) and Shoki Murakami (Hanshin Tigers). Infielder Kotaro Kiyomiya (Nippon-Ham Fighters) was also not selected although I'm unaware if he was offered to join.
On Friday, Samurai Japan played the first of two exhibition games in the lead up to next week's Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) tournament. The game against the Yomiuri Giants was played under special rules where both teams would bat the full 9 innings even if the 'home' team was leading. Afterwards, a 10th inning was played where each team received the 'ghost runner' at second base to begin their inning. STARTING LINEUP 1. LF Kyota Fujiwara (Marines) 2. CF Yuki Okabayashi (Dragons) 3. 2B Kaito Kozono (Carp) 4. DH Shugo Maki (BayStars) 5. 1B Yuto Akihiro (Giants) 6. RF Chusei Mannami (Fighters) 7. C Shogo Sakakura (Carp) 8. SS Makoto Kadowaki (Giants) 9. 3B Yuki Nomura (Fighters) SP Yuji Akahoshi (Giants) RP Kojiro Yoshimura (Swallows) - 10th inning The Giants defeated Japan 1-0 with a run in the 3rd inning when Masaya Hagio dropped a 2-out single into center field scoring Riku Masuda from third base. Boxscore: https://baseball.yahoo.co.jp/apbc/game/2021019958/stats
Samurai Japan played their second and final exhibition game on Sunday, defeating the Hiroshima Carp 6-3 at SOKKEN Stadium in Miyazaki. STARTING LINEUP 1. 3B Teruaki Sato (Tigers) 2. CF Yuki Okabayashi (Dragons) 3. LF Shota Morishita (Tigers) 4. 1B Shugo Maki (BayStars) 5. SS Kaito Kozono (Carp) 6. RF Chusei Mannami (Fighters) 7. C Shogo Sakakura (Carp) 8. 2B Makoto Kadowaki (Giants) 9. DH Yuki Nomura (Fighters) SP Tatsuya Imai (Lions) Kaito Kozono went 3-for-5 against his club team while potential Rookie of the Year Shota Morishita went 2-for-4 including the first home run for his country. Tatsuya Imai recorded 3 strikeouts in 2-2/3 innings The Asian Professional Baseball Championship at the Tokyo Dome begins on Thursday.
CONGRATS to the Wei Chuan Dragons, who won the CPBL (Taiwan) Series over the Rakuten Monkeys 4 games to 3. It's the Dragons' 5th title overall and their first since 1999. MEET YOUR 2023 TAIWAN SERIES CHAMPIONS: WEI CHUAN DRAGONS! #CPBL pic.twitter.com/64wW2Y8KB7— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) November 12, 2023
Yakyu Cosmopolitan's look at the 5 NPB players - all pitchers - who are expected to end up in MLB in 2024. Shota Imanaga (BayStars - posted) Yuki Matsui (Eagles - international free agent) Naoyuki Uwasawa (Fighters - posted) Yariel Rodriguez (Dragons - Cuban defector, international free agent) Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Buffaloes - posted) One player who will not be making the jump across the Pacific is Kona Takahashi. The right-handed pitcher was hoping to be posted by the Seibu Lions but his club denied his request. Seibu GM Hisanobu Watanabe: "As I've told him personally, he's our ace and he has great potential next year. It would be difficult to let him go this year." Takahashi will not gain international free agency until 2026 at the earliest.
CONGRATS to the LG Twins, KBO champions for the first time since 1994 after beating the KT Wiz 4 games to 1 in the Korean Series! 1724041117124169865 is not a valid tweet id