How can the batters not help like this? 3 games, 22 innings, 2 runs, scoring support '0', team batting average of 0.224, Hanshin ace (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball)
Jul 10, 2024
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He is the first in the Central League with eight wins and second in this category with a 1.12 ERA. He won three shutouts, including two nine shutouts. Last year's eight wins were the most for individuals, but they had already achieved it in the first half. Unlike last year, when he returned from an elbow injury, he is in full operation this year.
He started 15 games this season and finished 13 games with quality starts (more than 6 innings, less than 3 earned runs). His pitching innings (104 ⅓) and strikeouts (89) are both ranked first.
It is an MVP-class performance that surpasses Murakami in 2023. Murakami is 3-5 with a 2.05 ERA in 13 games this season.
He throws well every game and fails to win. The batters don't help. After winning for the eighth time against the Softbank Hawks in the Interleague (alternative) on June 16, he lost only one game in three games.
The Yakult Swallows match was held at the Koshien Stadium in Hanshin's home turf on the 9th. He gave up six hits and allowed one run until the seventh inning. In the top of the fourth inning, leadoff hitter Hideto Nagaoka had a heavy hit. He handled opponents 4 and 5 with a mistake, followed by two outs and a third base. He allowed No. 6 Takeshi Miyamoto to make a timely hit to the right. 0-1.
After that, he blocked 5, 6, and 7 innings without losing a point.
But the lineup was quiet again. Five hits and no runs until the seventh inning when Murakami kept the mound. He lost all chances with two outs and runners on first and second bases in the third inning, two outs and runners on second base in the fifth inning, and one out and runners on first and second bases in the sixth inning. Saiki turned over the mound to the bullpen in the eighth inning, trailing 0-1. He allowed one run in seven innings and was on the verge of becoming a losing pitcher.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, trailing 0-1, a come-from-behind hit came out. With the bases loaded with two outs, Koji Chikamoto hit a walk-off hit to win 2-1.
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He has recorded quality start plus (7 innings or more as a starter, 2 earned runs or less) in 7 consecutive games. If the batters had helped, they would have reached 10 wins.
The previous game, the Hiroshima Carp match on July 2. He played seven innings with one hit and no runs, and failed to win. Hanshin's batters failed to score points due to the opponent's right-hander Masato Morishita's strong pitching. On this day, Morisita recorded five hits and no runs in eight innings.
Saiki was replaced at 0-0 in the eighth inning and the game went to extra time. Hanshin scored three runs in the 10th inning and won 3-0.
The Junichi Dragons game on June 25 was also disappointing. He pitched four hits and no runs until the seventh inning, then allowed one run in the eighth inning. He allowed two consecutive hits after two outs, allowing one run. This score has been a drag. On the same day, Hanshin's batters had six hits and no runs against the three Chunichi pitchers. Saiki threw well with one run in eight innings, but won his second loss of the season.
Two runs in 22 innings in the last three games. The scoring support is '0'.
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The poor batting lineup sometimes squeezes concentration in the second half. He was dragged 4-5 by the Yokohama BayStars on the 7th and won the game with a timely hit and a defensive error in the bottom of the 9th inning. In the match against Yokohama on the 6th, they trailed 0-1 and came from behind to win 2-1.
Hanshin is in third place, one game behind the No. 1 Yomiuri Giants. It is the Central League where the first to fourth places fluctuate depending on the results of each game.
Saiki will go to the All-Star Game by ranking first in the All-Star fan vote.
huelva@sportschosun.com
