The curse* is finally broken!

The #HanshinTigers  have bested the #OrixBuffaloes  in Game 7 and won the #NPB #NipponSeries title for the first time in 38 years!

* The "Curse of the Colonel" has been with the Tigers since 1985, when fans threw a statue of KFC's Colonel Sanders into the river after the team's first ever Nippon Series victory. See https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/05/osakas-baseball-underdogs-hope-one-more-win-will-lift-curse-of-kfc

#baseball

The Hanshin Tigers are the new NPB champions.
Neuse hit a 3 run HR in the 4th. Tigers scored 3 more in the 5th on a series of singles and added 1 in the 9th for good measure.
Buffaloes got a solo HR with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th.
Fun series.
Ōsaka will go wild tonight.

Final

Tigers: 7 12 0
Buffaloes: 1 8 1
#baseball #NipponSeries #Japan

Miyagi was pulled in top of the 5th with 2 outs and runners on 1st & 3rd; he was replaced by Higa, who promptly gave up 3 singles, each for an RBI. Neuse now has 4 RBI for the night.

Tigers’ Aoyagi was pulled in the bottom of the 5th with 2 on and 2 out. He was replaced by Shimamoto, who got the 3rd out.

After 5:

Tigers: 6 8 0
Buffaloes: 0 4 0
#baseball #NipponSeries #Japan

Wow. Tigers in top of the 4th: Single. Ohyama HBP. Neuse 3 run HR.

After 4:

Tigers: 3 3 0
Buffaloes: 0 2 0
#baseball #NipponSeries #Japan

The pitchers are having their way so far. Two fine defensive plays by Mune, the Orix 3B, turned a couple potential Hanshin doubles (or triples) into outs instead.

After 3:

Tigers: 0 1 0
Buffaloes: 0 2 0
#baseball #NipponSeries #Japan

#NPB #NipponSeries Game 7 Preview

With the series tied at 3-3, whoever wins tonight will claim the title.

The #OrixBuffaloes  will send 22yo LHP #HiroyaMiyagi #宮城大弥, with a 2.27 ERA and 122 K over 22 games this season, to the mound, while the #HanshinTigers  will start with 29yo RHP #KoyoAoyagi #青柳晃洋 who has a 4.57 EPA and 64 K over 18 games.

Game 7 starts at 1830 JST.

(This should be my last #baseball post for a while. Thanks for putting up with this!)

Strange game so far. A sac bunt, a sac fly, a spectacular snag of a line drive by the Tigers’ SS, a HBP, and a ground rule double on a sky high fly ball that hit the top of the dome.

After 2:

Tigers: 1 3 0
Buffaloes: 2 3 0

Guests are arriving so I must sign out.
#baseball #NPB #NipponSeries

#NPB #NipponSeries Game 6 Preview

With a 3-2 lead for the #HanshinTigers , the series moves back to Kyocera Dome, where the defending champion #OrixBuffaloes  will host Game 6. The starting pitchers will be a repeat of Game 1, with the 25yo RHP #YoshinobuYamamoto #山本由伸 starting for the Buffaloes and 25yo RHP #ShokiMurakami #村上頌樹 starting for the Tigers.

Game 6 starts at 1830 JST. #baseball

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/11/03/baseball/japanese-baseball/hanshin-chances-japan-series/

Game on! Yamamoto will be pitching for the Buffaloes tonight. Beating him twice in the series is a steep hill for the Tigers to climb.
#baseball #NPB #NipponSeries