Murton tops Ichiro’s hit mark
When Ichiro Suzuki banged away at hit records in the states, he got a song written for him. No one here is making songs about Matt Murton, but it’s OK. He has enough hits of his own.
Murton broke Suzuki’s NPB single-season hit record in a 17-4 mauling of the Yakult Swallows on Tuesday, and still has two games left.
Murton had three hits to increase his total to 213, while putting together his 25th game of three or more hits. He drove in three runs, as did Craig Brazell -- who homered twice -- and Tomoaki Kanemoto.
The Tigers blew the game open with a nine-run second inning to back Atsushi Nomi (8-0), who gave up four runs over five shaky innings but got the win.
Yakult’s Norichika Aoki went 1-for-4 to bring his career-best hit total to 205.
The Tigers remained percentage points ahead of the third-place Yomiuri Giants.
GIANTS 4, BAYSTARS 0
Yomiuri used four pitchers to shut out Yokohama and remain in third place with a victory at Yokohama Stadium.
Alex Ramirez belted his league-best 48th longball, and Hisayoshi Chono, hitting in the top spot for the first time, cracked his first leadoff homer.
It was the 15th whitewash hurled at the last-place BayStars, who will finish in the cellar for the third straight year.
Hideki Asai (4-1) worked six scoreless frames, allowing four hits and a walk, while fanning three.
Marc Kroon got the final out for his 25th save.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Remember the name ...
Murton evens Ichiro
The Hanshin Tigers’ Matt Murton has put together an astounding season for a first-year import or a native superstar.
The outfielder matched a legend, notching his 110th hit on Sunday in a 7-2 win over the Hiroshima Carp at The Zoom.
He equaled Ichiro Suzuki’s 1994 total when the current Seattle Mariners star played for the Orix BlueWave.
The Tigers have three games left for Murton, batting .349, to break the mark.
Japan has often in the past pitched around foreign players with a chance to break hallowed marks here, but the Carp went right at Murton, who was hitless in three trips to the plate before sending a hard single to left in the seventh inning.
Takahiro Arai added three hits, including two doubles, and two RBIS, and Tomoaki Kanemoto had a two-run shot to lead the Tigers.
Jason Standridge (11-5) worked seven strong innings as the Tigers moved back into second by percentage points in the Central League standings, ahead of the idle Yomiuri Giants.
SWALLOWS 3, BAYSTARS 1
Jamie D’Antona’s 15th homer keyed a three-run second inning as Yakult topped Yokohama at Jingu Stadium.
The win guaranteed Yakult of a winning season for the first time since 2004.
Yoshinori Sato (12-9) allowed six hits and two walks over six innings for the win.
The Hanshin Tigers’ Matt Murton has put together an astounding season for a first-year import or a native superstar.
The outfielder matched a legend, notching his 110th hit on Sunday in a 7-2 win over the Hiroshima Carp at The Zoom.
He equaled Ichiro Suzuki’s 1994 total when the current Seattle Mariners star played for the Orix BlueWave.
The Tigers have three games left for Murton, batting .349, to break the mark.
Japan has often in the past pitched around foreign players with a chance to break hallowed marks here, but the Carp went right at Murton, who was hitless in three trips to the plate before sending a hard single to left in the seventh inning.
Takahiro Arai added three hits, including two doubles, and two RBIS, and Tomoaki Kanemoto had a two-run shot to lead the Tigers.
Jason Standridge (11-5) worked seven strong innings as the Tigers moved back into second by percentage points in the Central League standings, ahead of the idle Yomiuri Giants.
SWALLOWS 3, BAYSTARS 1
Jamie D’Antona’s 15th homer keyed a three-run second inning as Yakult topped Yokohama at Jingu Stadium.
The win guaranteed Yakult of a winning season for the first time since 2004.
Yoshinori Sato (12-9) allowed six hits and two walks over six innings for the win.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Title drunk ...
After drinking up, Dragons can’t down Swallows
A night after celebrating their eighth Central League championship, the Chunichi Dragons at least had a reason for losing to the Yakult Swallows for the 15th time this season: They were title drunk.
Kyohei Muranaka (11-9) held the Dragons to a run on six hits over six innings as the Swallows finished off their mastery of the CL titlists 3-2 at Nagoya Dome on Saturday.
It was Muranaka’s third win this season against the Dragons, who used seven pitchers in their season finale.
Chunichi plays host to the first-stage winner of the Climax Series winner, starting on Oct. 20.
Kazuhiro Hatakeyama got the Swallows even with an RBI single in the sixth, and Josh Whitesell’s pinch-hit RBI double in the seventh was the difference.
Masahiko Morino slugged his 22nd longball, a solo shot in the ninth, to push home both Chunichi runs.
The Swallows were officially eliminated from potential postseason play when the Hanshin Tigers won earlier in the day.
GIANTS 7, BAYSTARS 1
Alex Ramirez ripped his CL-high and career-best 47th homer, and Ryota Wakiya homered, doubled and started a triple play to lead Yomiuri past lowly Yokohama at Tokyo Dome.
Ramirez’s solo blast gave him a career-best 126 RBIs, one better than his 2008 total.
TIGERS 11, CARP 4
Takashi Toritani had three hits and knocked in two to extend his recently established record for RBIs by a shortstop to 100 as Hanshin locked up a postseason spot with a win over Hiroshima at The Zoom.
Hanshin’s Matt Murton had two hits to push his CL-best-ever total to 209, one shy of Ichiro Suzuki’s 1994 NPB record.
The Tigers have four games to play.
A night after celebrating their eighth Central League championship, the Chunichi Dragons at least had a reason for losing to the Yakult Swallows for the 15th time this season: They were title drunk.
Kyohei Muranaka (11-9) held the Dragons to a run on six hits over six innings as the Swallows finished off their mastery of the CL titlists 3-2 at Nagoya Dome on Saturday.
It was Muranaka’s third win this season against the Dragons, who used seven pitchers in their season finale.
Chunichi plays host to the first-stage winner of the Climax Series winner, starting on Oct. 20.
Kazuhiro Hatakeyama got the Swallows even with an RBI single in the sixth, and Josh Whitesell’s pinch-hit RBI double in the seventh was the difference.
Masahiko Morino slugged his 22nd longball, a solo shot in the ninth, to push home both Chunichi runs.
The Swallows were officially eliminated from potential postseason play when the Hanshin Tigers won earlier in the day.
GIANTS 7, BAYSTARS 1
Alex Ramirez ripped his CL-high and career-best 47th homer, and Ryota Wakiya homered, doubled and started a triple play to lead Yomiuri past lowly Yokohama at Tokyo Dome.
Ramirez’s solo blast gave him a career-best 126 RBIs, one better than his 2008 total.
TIGERS 11, CARP 4
Takashi Toritani had three hits and knocked in two to extend his recently established record for RBIs by a shortstop to 100 as Hanshin locked up a postseason spot with a win over Hiroshima at The Zoom.
Hanshin’s Matt Murton had two hits to push his CL-best-ever total to 209, one shy of Ichiro Suzuki’s 1994 NPB record.
The Tigers have four games to play.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Fired up ...
Idle Dragons earn CL title sitting down
Just as Hard Drives (my Daily Yomiuri column) predicted early in September, the Chunichi Dragons won the Central League -- not on the field, but while sitting back at home, watching with the rest of us.
Well, sort of. They certainly raced over to Nagoya Dome quickly enough.
The idle Dragons popped corks on Friday at the dome when the second-place Hansin Tigers fell 5-0 to the Hiroshima Carp at The Zoom behind a four-hitter by newcomer Dioni Soriano (1-3) .
It was the third league title for the Dragons under skipper Hiromitsu Ochiai, the club’s eighth overall and its first since 2006.
Hanshin, with pressure to win out over the final week, fell to last-place Yokohama and fourth-place Hiroshima on back-to-back nights.
Soriano, who was signed to the Carp’s developmental squad in May, was making his seventh start. He earned his first win in Japan.
The lefty from the Dominican Republic had allowed 33 hits in 32 innings before shutting down Hanshin.
Eiishin Soyogi clubbed his 13th homer and had two singles, one an RBI base hit in a four-run fourth.
The Dragons, who won the Japan Series in 2007, will wait as Hanshin and the defending Series champion Yomiuri Giants battle face off in the first stage of the CL Climax Series.
The Dragons host the second stage at Nagoya Dome.
MARINES NAB FINAL SPOT
The Chiba Lotte Marines booted the defending Pacific League champs out of the postseason with a 5-4 win over the Orix Buffaloes at Chiba Marine Stadium.
Saburo Omura had a double and two RBIs, and Toshiaki Imae stroked a two-run homer to back Yoshihisa Naruse (13-11) as Lotte advanced as the third seed.
Omura’s RBI double in the seventh was the difference as the Marines earned the right to face the second-place Seibu Lions for the chance to battle PL champion SoftBank and represent the league in the Japan Series.
Just as Hard Drives (my Daily Yomiuri column) predicted early in September, the Chunichi Dragons won the Central League -- not on the field, but while sitting back at home, watching with the rest of us.
Well, sort of. They certainly raced over to Nagoya Dome quickly enough.
The idle Dragons popped corks on Friday at the dome when the second-place Hansin Tigers fell 5-0 to the Hiroshima Carp at The Zoom behind a four-hitter by newcomer Dioni Soriano (1-3) .
It was the third league title for the Dragons under skipper Hiromitsu Ochiai, the club’s eighth overall and its first since 2006.
Hanshin, with pressure to win out over the final week, fell to last-place Yokohama and fourth-place Hiroshima on back-to-back nights.
Soriano, who was signed to the Carp’s developmental squad in May, was making his seventh start. He earned his first win in Japan.
The lefty from the Dominican Republic had allowed 33 hits in 32 innings before shutting down Hanshin.
Eiishin Soyogi clubbed his 13th homer and had two singles, one an RBI base hit in a four-run fourth.
The Dragons, who won the Japan Series in 2007, will wait as Hanshin and the defending Series champion Yomiuri Giants battle face off in the first stage of the CL Climax Series.
The Dragons host the second stage at Nagoya Dome.
MARINES NAB FINAL SPOT
The Chiba Lotte Marines booted the defending Pacific League champs out of the postseason with a 5-4 win over the Orix Buffaloes at Chiba Marine Stadium.
Saburo Omura had a double and two RBIs, and Toshiaki Imae stroked a two-run homer to back Yoshihisa Naruse (13-11) as Lotte advanced as the third seed.
Omura’s RBI double in the seventh was the difference as the Marines earned the right to face the second-place Seibu Lions for the chance to battle PL champion SoftBank and represent the league in the Japan Series.
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