The Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball lost to their rival Hanshin Tigers in a grueling 11-inning contest, eliminating their chances of winning on their own.
Yomiuri lost 0-4 against Hanshin on the 19th at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. Starting pitcher Io Yamazaki delivered an impressive performance with 7 innings pitched, allowing 4 hits, 4 walks, 3 strikeouts, and no runs. The bullpen, consisting of Kouta Nakagawa (1 inning, no runs) - Rydell Martinez (1 inning, no runs) - Taisei Ota (1 inning, no runs) - Hiromasa Funabashi (2/3 inning, 4 earned runs) - Alberto Baldonado (1/3 inning, no runs), fought hard but could not prevent the team's defeat. The Yomiuri batting lineup managed only 4 hits over 11 innings.
Hanshin's starting pitcher Shoki Murakami showcased an impressive game with 6 innings pitched, allowing 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 hit batsman, 5 strikeouts, and no runs. The bullpen, consisting of Masaki Oyakawa (1 inning, no runs) - Daichi Ishii (1 inning, no runs) - Atsuki Yuasa (1 inning, no runs) - Nick Nelson (1 inning, no runs) - Suguru Iwazaki (1 inning, no runs), also pitched without allowing any runs, securing the team's victory. Teruaki Sato (25th of the season) and Seishiro Sakamoto (2nd of the season) each hit two-run home runs in the 11th inning to lead the team to victory.
The Japanese media outlet Daily Sports reported that Yomiuri Giants manager Shinnozuke Abe expressed his disappointment after the loss in the 11-inning match, conveying the heartbreaking defeat for Yomiuri.
Holding the record for the most championships in Japanese baseball history (22 times), Yomiuri is a representative elite team in Japan. However, it has been 12 years since their last Japan Series victory in 2012. Last season, they won the Central League regular season but fell short in the postseason, losing to Yokohama 3-4 in the Climax Series final stage, despite having a 1-game advantage.
This season, Yomiuri has a record of 41 wins, 3 ties, and 43 losses with a winning percentage of .488, currently sitting in 2nd place in the Central League. With the first-place Hanshin (52 wins, 2 ties, 34 losses, winning percentage of .605), their recent loss has widened the gap to a staggering 10 games. If this continues, the chance of failing to win for the 13th consecutive year will increase.
Abe said, "(Our batting lineup) did create chances, but..." expressing regret over the scoreless defeat. He added, "No matter what I say, it can't be helped. The difference in strength was clearly evident in the game. The bullpen did face challenges at the end but gave it their all. Ultimately, some may criticize the decision, but I trusted them and sent them out. It’s not Funabashi’s fault, but my responsibility for utilizing him. I feel sorry about this."
After the loss, which eliminated any chances of winning on their own, manager Abe emphasized, "Of course, there are such points, but the game continues. We must never give up. While there are players lacking in skill, I believe we must instill that mindset in them to keep fighting until the end."
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