This is why I don’t know baseball.
The Yomiuri Giants failed to advance to the Japan Series after winning the Central League title for the first time in four years. The Giants started the Climax Series as the third place finisher, but failed to advance to the Japan Series. The Giants lost 2-3 in Game 6 of the Climax Series Final Stage (best-of-four) held at Tokyo Dome on Sunday. The Giants started the season with one win in advantage as the league’s No. 1 ranking, falling behind to three wins and four losses. After three consecutive losses, they garnered two consecutive wins, thereby boosting their hope, but failed to overcome the final threshold.
It is a reversal of expectations. The Yomiuri Giants posted 16 wins (one draw and eight losses) in the match against Yokohama in the pennant race. The team had the most wins against the Yokohama team, enabling the team to rank No. 1 in the league. It had eight matches ahead of Yokohama to rank No. 1. Yokohama was fearful this fall. It beat the Hanshin Tigers, who came in second place in the first stage (best-of-two wins). The team has displayed strong momentum to the final stage. It will thus achieve its best performance in seven years since 2017.
At the top of the ninth inning with the score tied 2-2, a nightmarish moment awaited. Yokohama leadoff hitter Keito Mori hit a right-handed hit off Tomoyuki Sugano, who took the mound following the eighth inning. With two outs and a runner on the third base, Shugo Maki hit a timely hit to the left. It was a shot that destroyed the Yomiuri Giants’ quest to win the Japan Series title for the first time in 12 years.
3-2.
Sugano, who had 15 wins this season, made his debut as a relief pitcher after starting the second game on Saturday. He pitched seven innings and took the mound after resting for three days. He allowed three strikeouts in the eighth inning, but failed to stop Maki, the main batter of the Japanese national team, in the ninth inning.
It was a regrettable postseason for Sugano, a 35-year-old veteran who is seeking to challenge himself in the Major League. In the second game, he allowed six hits and two runs in seven innings, and became a losing pitcher.
It’s a painful upset.
The Yokohama team, which was losing 0-2, put the game to the center in the top of the fifth inning. With no outs and runners on the first base, No. 8 Mori hit a timely triple to right field, and No. 9 pinch hitter Mike Ford hit a timely hit. 2-2.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Yomiuri’s last attack. The top-ranked batters turned lethargic. Makoto Kadowaki grounded out to the second base, Yoshihiro Maru threw a foul fly to the left field, and Kazuma Okamoto hit a fly ball to the center field.
The Yomiuri lineup scored only nine points until Game 6. It seems that rest after winning the regular season has been poisonous.
In his first year as head coach, he ranked first in the league. He elevated his team to the B-Class (4th to 6th out of the six teams) for the second consecutive year. However, he failed to finish the race.
“We had difficulties adjusting our conditions as it was our first match in two weeks, and things didn’t go as we wanted. However, we cannot make excuses.” “I hope you don’t criticize the players. I will be criticized for not winning.”
Abe, who was assisting manager Tatsunori Hara as the head coach, took the helm right after last year’s season.
Yokohama and Softbank Hawks will start the Japan Series from July 26. Softbank, the No. 1 team in the Pacific League, beat the Nippon-Ham Fighters in the final stage 먹튀검증
It was completely overpowered. After winning three consecutive games, I moved lightly. After winning two consecutive championships between 2019 and 2020, I am aiming for the top spot in four years. I wonder how Yokohama will perform against Softbank, which boasts the strongest power.
