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: Keisuke Hayasaka
Live Blog: Lotte vs Seibu, 22 August
This blog should be renamed “We Love Marines, but We’ve Spent Almost no Time at Home Lately and Haven’t Had a Chance to Blog in Ages.” Catchy, no? In honor of a baseball watchin’ weekend and to make up for my busy work week-induced silence, it’s live blog time! Today is Lotte on the road …
A Ham-Free Weekend, Part 2
The Ham-Free Weekend rolled on in utterly brilliant and heart-stopping fashion as both Saturday and Sunday’s games went all the way to the last frames as the visiting Golden Eagles of Rakuten battled our beloved Chiba Lotte Marines. In both games Lotte overcame adversity and missed opportunities only to make the game-winning play. On Saturday …
Game Report: Softbank vs Lotte, 7/18
A very intriguing game this evening. It was at times one of the worst games I’ve ever watched, at times one of the most exciting games I’ve watched, but it is in the end an 8-6 loss to the visiting Hawks. Karakawa was on the hill tonight for Lotte, and he pitched three perfect innings. …
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 …
Interleague Game 19: Monsters of Makuhari
Who are these guys? Whoever they are, I like them – alot. After weeks of frustration, missed opportunities, and men left on base like unwanted promotional items, the Lotte offense has turned into the Monsters of Makuhari. In the past week, they’ve put up games of 9, 23, and now 9 runs again as they …
Interleague Game 18: We Shall Fight on the Beaches
Before tonight’s game vs Hiroshima at Chiba Marine – the last game between Lotte and Hiroshima in 2009 – I imagine Bobby Valentine gave our Marines a pep talk. I think it might have gone like this: “My fellow Marines. We have seen much together these past years. These last few weeks – the battles …
Interleague Game 14: History Repeating Repeating
Lotte and Chunichi finished up their season series this afternoon at Nagoya Dome. For a while, it looked like I would be able to autotext the intro I used yesterday (but hoped desperately that I wouldn’t get to use). By the end of the 6th inning, Lotte was down 2-0 despite a 4 hit, 6K …
Interleague Game 13: History Repeating
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Lotte starter {insert name} pitched quite well this evening versus {insert Central League team} – well enough to win most nights. Unfortunately, the offense didn’t give him much support, and Lotte succumbed to {insert Central League team} again, {final score}. For example: Lotte starter Ono pitched quite well …