A slump defined: I went to 11 consecutive home games at the lovely QVC Marine Stadium Field Thingy without seeing a single game where Lotte didn’t have to bat in the bottom of the 9th. And nary a sayonara celebration in extra time, either. Yup, that’s 0-9-2 in 11 home games. I skipped the game …
Tag: Kim Tae Kyun
Nippon Series Game 7 – Nippon Ichi!
It took seven games, and 12 innings in the seventh game to decide a winner – that winner, finally, decisively, is Our Marines. Can you believe it? This was just an amazing game (and I am not saying that just because of the result) – it was truly an epic way to end the series. …
Nippon Series Game 5 – One More to Go
Today was the last home game of the season for Our Marines, and they made the most of it. Lotte batters bashed 15 hits and hung 10 runs on the “best pitching staff in NPB” en route to a decisive 10-4 victory and a 3-2 series lead. Since Nishimura-kantoku made a surprise move in starting …
Climax Series Final Stage Game 6 – The King of Chiba
I will freely admit it – sitting in the second deck behind home plate at Chiba Marine Stadium, watching game 6 – the decisive game of the Climax Series Final Stage, cheering loudly with my friends and fellow fans, seeing Ohmatsu golf a ball from Brian Falkenborg deep and high, being unable to tell whether …
Climax Series Final Stage Game 5 – With Great Force!
I’m not going to yank your chain with an extended intro – The Chiba Lotte Marines came alive late in tonight’s Climax Series Final Stage Game 5, finally turning on the jets and setting fire to Hawks pitching. With great pitching and furious offense, Lotte put away the Hawks 5-2 to force a decisive game …
Climax Series Final Stage Games 3 & 4 – Still Alive
One might think that if the Marines pitching staff would give up only one earned run over 18 innings they would win those two games. Right? Right? Instead Our Marines lost both games – Friday’s game (which I’ve already mentioned) by 3-1, and in a total letdown Saturday’s game, 1-0. 4 games total in the …
Climax Series 1st Stage Game 2 – Indefatigable Spirit
“I feel like everything is shiny. Just… shiny.” -Katsu, about 60 minutes after the end of the game The world is indeed a shinier place this evening as yesterday’s comeback kings found a way to do it again today. Down late – again – needing a spark – again – wanting a hero to step …
Climax Series 1st Stage Game 1 – Never Say Die
‘‘This is what happens when you never give up,’’ said Fukuura, who pumped his right fist as he rounded the bases. – Kyodo News on Saturday’s Climax Series First Stage Game 1 If you were to make a time capsule for sports – a representative collection of the appeal of sport and the significance to …
Yatta! Look Out Seibu, The Marines are Invading
The wait is over – it’s been a long season, a stress-filled September, and it went right down to the last possible pitch. The three-year wait is over: Tonight, Our Marines clinched the final spot in the climax series by the slimmest of margins, taking a tight 5-4 victory from visiting Orix, and seizing the …
Modasho
As I have much lamented lately, the Lotte offense is just plain injured. Tonight’s starting lineup featured two batters well below .200 BA (Matoba at .172, Okada at .184 – the backup catcher and 6th outfielder, respectively) and had two more pinch hitters below .200 (Takehara at .145, Muniz at .136). But looky here – …