Hanshin Tigers rookie Shoki Murakami will get a chance to get revenge on Orix Buffalo ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tigers manager Akinobu Okada said Friday as the teams practiced yesterday of the first match of the Japan Series in Osaka.
The best-of-seven Japanese championship, the first in 59 years between teams from the Kansai region of western Japan, begins Saturday at Kyocera Dome Osaka, home of the three-time Pacific League champion Buffaloes.
Murakami, the Central League’s ERA leader, lost his interleague game to Yamamoto 2-0 at the Tigers’ Koshien Stadium on June 13, and Okada said Game 1 was his right-hander’s chance to get revenge.
“He only gave up two points in the interleague match, but this is an opportunity for him to take his revenge,” Okada said.
Pitcher Shoki Murakami of the Hanshin Tigers practices at Kyocera Dome Osaka on October 27, 2023, the eve of the Japan Series opener against the Orix Buffaloes. (Essonne Info)
The Tigers’ fast-paced offense will need to be in good shape to get Japan’s ace pitcher his second straight tough start.
Yamamoto, who has now led the PL in wins, strikeouts, ATR and winning percentage over the past three seasons, suffered five runs in seven innings in his only playoff game, but he has everything even achieved victory on October 18.
During this match, Yamamoto gave away a lot of balls that were almost caught but were hit, including two that went past him in the first inning.
“I think I could have caught them under normal circumstances. In this match, I was a little too tight on certain throws and I didn’t have enough life at the end of the match. If they had that little extra, they would have missed the barrels and would have been easier to catch,” he told Essonne Info News.
“My speed was good, but from the batsmen’s point of view that day, my pitches were easier to see and easier to hit from the start of the match. I thought about it and made some adjustments, so I feel better now.”
Orix Buffaloes pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto practices at Kyocera Dome Osaka on October 27, 2023, the eve of the Japan Series opener against the Hanshin Tigers. (Essonne Info)
One of the keys to beating Yamamoto could be point guard Koji Chikamoto, who struggled during the CL playoffs and hasn’t given any guarantees.
“I’m doing the job I have to do,” he said. “But I can’t know how good I’ll be.” We will know after a few matches if I got results that I can be happy with.
The Tigers, whose only championship dates back to 1985, only have one active player in 2014 during the last Japan Series, catcher Ryutaro Umeno.
“We just have to play Tigers baseball like we usually do,” he said. “But these matches are the last of the season, so it is important that we play them as well as possible.
Buffalo, seeking a second straight Japan Series title, should be used to the pressure, but third baseman Yuma Mune said, “It’s always nerve-wracking.” »
“I was nervous the first time. I’m nervous now.
Orix captain Satoshi Nakajima said his team is ready, although it is possible they will be without left fielder Yutaro Sugimoto, who is suffering from an ankle problem. Shortstop Kotaro Kurebayashi practiced with his left wrist taped, but appears ready to go.
“I think we’re ready,” he said. “Hanshin is a team with an extremely high level of pitching, and hits will be difficult to get. We will have to hit when we have opportunities to score and play well on the field. These will be very competitive matches.”
The series will move to Koshien Stadium in Hanshin in neighboring Hyogo Prefecture on Tuesday for Games 3, 4 and 5, if necessary.
Féliciane is one of the talented editors of Essonneinfo. She has written for the site since its launch, and has become a well-known figure in the industry for her skillful reporting and unique take on stories. Féliciane’s main hobby is traveling. His passion for travel has allowed him to write in-depth articles about cultures around the world.
2023-10-28 05:45:30
#Baseball #Tigers #defeat #Buffalos #ace #Yamamoto
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