[Previous entry: "Korea Baseball News:Song Jin-woo Pitches 61st Career Complete Game "] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Japan Baseball News: Hawks Play See-Saw with Buffaloes"]
06/09/2003 Archived Entry: "Japan Baseball News: Buffaloes and Hawks Lose Close Games"
Japan Baseball News: Buffaloes and Hawks Lose Close Games
by Robert Kiyoshi Shadlow
Source: Japan Times (2003 June 10).
Orix BlueWave 2 – Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes 1:
Yuji Goshima drove in the winning run with an eighth-inning solo home run to slip the BlueWave past the Buffaloes at Osaka Dome.
Masahiko Kaneda notched the victory yielding only one run and seven hits in 7-2/3 innings.
Daisuke Kato struck out two batters for his third save of the year.
Ken Kadokura (3-1) took the loss for Kintetsu.
Seibu Lions 7 – Fukuoka Daiei Hawks 3:
Alex Cabrera blasted a sixth-inning solo home run to beat the Hawks at Seibu Dome.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (8-1) got the win while striking out six batters and giving up three runs and seven hits.
Toshiya Sugiuchi (3-6) gave up solo home runs to Hiroshi Hirao and Alex Cabrera in addition to seven other hits for the loss.
Chiba Lotte Marines 1 – Nippon Ham Fighters 0:
Nathan Minchey struck out six batters allowing five hits and two walks in eight innings at Chiba Marine Stadium.
Masahide Kobayashi picked up his 15th save of 2003.
Rick Short drove in the only run of the game with a bases-loaded first inning sacrifice grounder.
Itsuki Shoda (1-6) received the loss despite giving up only one run and three hits in seven innings.
News:
The Hanshin Tigers are considering signing 29 year-old Jerrod Rigan of the New York Mets farm system.
Rigan has pitched in 67 major league games with a 5-4 record and a 5.19 ERA. major league pitching record is 5-4 has a career 5-4 record with a 5.19 ERA in 67 major league games.
Philadelphia Phillies farmhand Julio Santana has signed with the Yomiuri Giants and will be in Japan by the end of the month.
The 29 year-old Dominican has played for the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers.
Nippon Professional Baseball
June 10, 2003
Central League
W L T Pct GB
39 19 1 .672 Hanshin Tigers
30 26 1 .536 8.0 Yomiuri Giants
29 27 0 .518 9.0 Yakult Swallows
30 28 0 .517 9.0 Chunichi Dragons
22 29 0 .431 13.5 Hiroshima Carp
17 38 0 .309 20.5 Yokohama BayStars
Pacific League
W L T Pct GB
34 24 0 .586 Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
33 24 1 .579 0.5 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
30 27 1 .526 3.5 Seibu Lions
27 28 0 .491 5.5 Chiba Lotte Marines
26 30 2 .464 7.0 Nippon Ham Fighters
18 35 2 .340 13.5 Orix BlueWave
