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05/07/2003 Archived Entry: "Japan Baseball News: Dragons' Noguchi and Tatsunami Claw the Tigers"
Japan Baseball News: Dragons' Noguchi and Tatsunami Claw the Tigers
by Robert Kiyoshi Shadlow
Sources: Japan Times (May 8, 2003); JapanToday (May 7, 2003); Tacoma News Tribune (May 7, 2003).
Chunichi Dragons 6 - Hanshin Tigers 1:
Shigeki Noguchi struck out 10 batters while giving up only one run, five hits, and walked two in seven-plus innings to beat the Tigers at Nagoya Dome.
Kazuyoshi Tatsunami had three runs and hit 2-for-4 for the Dragons.
Makoto Imaoka gave the Tigers an early lead with a solo home run in the third inning.
Tatsunami drove in the go-ahead run with a two-run single in the bottom of the third.
Tatsunami also blasted a home run in the fifth inning and Takayuki Onishi hit a solo home run in the seventh.
Keiichi Yabu (2-2) lost the game for Hanshin.
Yomiuri Giants 7 - Yakult Swallows 5:
Hisanori Takahashi (1-3) pitched a 135 pitch complete game and drove in a two-run single to beat the Swallows at Jingu Stadium.
Takahashi hit the game winning single in the fifth inning off of Ryu Kawabata.
Hiroshima Carp 8 - Yokohama BayStars 5:
Toshikazu Sawazaki (2-0) notched the victory with 1-1/3
perfect innings of relief to the BayStars.
Andy Sheets drove in the go-ahead run with a single.
No games were played in the Pacific League.
News:
Pitcher Masumi Kuwata was put on the disabled list due a left ankle injured in an April 29 game and aggravated in Tuesday's game.
Ichiro/Hasegawa vs. Matsui:
Ichiro Suzuki drove in three RBIs and hit 3-for-6 in the first game of the Yankees' visit to Seattle's Safeco Field.
Shigetoshi Hasegawa gave up only one hit in two innings to lower his 2003 ERA to 0.46 in 19.2 innings.
Hideki Matsui went 2-for-5.
Kazuhiro Sasaki struck out two batters and gave up a walk on 19 pitches in one inning of work on Tuesday for Class A San Bernardino. The Seattle Mariners may reactivate Sasaki on Thursday.
Nippon Professional Baseball
May 8, 2003
Central League
W L T Pct GB
21 12 1 .636 Hanshin Tigers
16 14 1 .533 3.5 Yomiuri Giants
15 14 0 .517 4.0 Hiroshima Carp
17 16 0 .515 4.0 Yakult Swallows
17 17 0 .500 4.5 Chunichi Dragons
9 22 0 .290 11.0 Yokohama BayStars
Pacific League
W L T Pct GB
19 13 0 .594 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
18 14 0 .563 1.0 Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
18 14 1 .563 1.0 Seibu Lions
13 17 0 .433 5.0 Chiba Lotte Marines
13 17 1 .433 5.0 Nippon Ham Fighters
11 17 2 .393 6.0 Orix Blue Wave
