Opening Day Tea Party
Tokyo Giants* vs Boston Red Caps
by "Sayonara" Shuto
Union League correspondent
Tokyo Yakyu
Opening
Day for the 2006 season finds Tokyo visiting Boston in the newly
erected Braves Field, home of the Red Caps. Lefty control artist
Masaichi Kaneda (11-11, 5.30 in 2005) versus high-kicking ,flamboyant,
repertoire artist Juan Marichal (15-10, 3.58) for the Opening Day Game.
It was reported that Kaneda visited the shrine to Cy Young before the
game, and rumour has it he told Juan Marichal through an interpreter
that Manito was not Cy Young. While the translation was garbled, and
Kaneda's meaning was unclear, Juan Marichal's return glare was
undeniable in intent.
It was shaping up to be a good ballgame.
In a surprise move just minutes before the game's start, Tokyo Ed
decided to pull Katsuya Nomura (.223, 10, 36) and name Atsuya Furuta
(.207, 0, 13) the starting catcher for the season. The scoop was the
move was done for team chemistry, but nobody can understand the formula
except Tokyo Ed . . . and many aren't sure he can either.
The day was clear and cold, and a bit breezy: the wind came in from
center at an 18 MPH clip. That didn't bother Wally Yonamine who led off
the season with an infield hit past Marichal. Shigeru Chiba bunted him
over to second, and Tetsuharu Kawakami lined a single to right-center
to plate Wally. The Japanese fans massed behind the visitor's dugout
went wild as Yonamine crossed the plate with the first Tokyo run of
2006 and the 100th career ATL score for Wally. For the first three
batters everything was going
according to the new plan for Tokyo Ed. The fourth batter, Hideki
Matsui,
grounded sharply to Billy Herman who flipped to Nomar Garciaparra who
sweetly
turned the double play to end the inning. Shades of last year all over
again! However, 1-0 Tokyo.
Kaneda was masterful in the first, setting down the side in order.
Marichal returned the favour, and then Kaneda did it again in the
second and third. Marichal couldn't stop Yoshio Yoshido from scrapping
up a blooper single, but he was then cut down by Muddy Ruel as he tried
to steal second. That was it for Tokyo until the fourth when Kawakami
and Matsui got on for Kaoru Betto to plate them with a long single. Add
insurance runs to the score: 3-0, Tokyo.
Then a fourth run was added in the sixth, but that was more than
necessary as Masaichi Kaneda had his top form today! He stymied the
Boston hitters all night, striking out 7 while allowing only 4 hits and
2 walks in a complete game shutout. 4-0, Tokyo. Tetsuharu Kawakami went
4-for-4 with an RBI, 2 Runs and a Stolen Base for the Giants*.
The pre-season question of whether or not Tokyo had pitching . . . may
have gotten answered on Opening Day by the "God of Pitching" in Japan.
4/5/2005, TGU06-BBU06, Braves Field (1928-41)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2006 Giants* 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 4 9 0 4 0
2006 Red Caps 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 6 2
Giants* AB R H BI AVG Red Caps AB R H BI AVG
Yonamine lf 4 1 1 0 .250 Connor 1b 4 0 1 0 .250
Chiba 2b 3 0 0 0 .000 Duffy cf 3 0 1 0 .333
Kawakami 1b 4 2 4 1 1.000 Garciaparra ss 4 0 0 0 .000
Matsui,H cf 4 1 2 1 .500 Snider rf 4 0 1 0 .250
Yamamoto, K cf 0 0 0 0 .000 Rice,J lf 4 0 0 0 .000
Betto rf 4 0 1 2 .250 Kell 3b 3 0 1 0 .333
Nagashima 3b 4 0 0 0 .000 Herman,Bi 2b 3 0 0 0 .000
Furuta c 4 0 0 0 .000 Ruel c 2 0 0 0 .000
Kinugasa c 0 0 0 0 .000 York,R ph 1 0 0 0 .000
Yoshida ss 4 0 1 0 .250 Marichal p 2 0 0 0 .000
Kaneda p 2 0 0 0 .000 Elliott ph 1 0 0 0 .000
33 4 9 4 Russell,J p 0 0 0 0 .000
31 0 4 0
Giants* INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Kaneda W 1-0 9.0 4 0 0 2 7 107 68 0.00
9.0 4 0 0 2 7 107 68
Red Caps INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Marichal L 0-1 8.0 9 4 4 1 3 111 69 4.50
Russell,J 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 12 8 0.00
9.0 9 4 4 1 3 123 77
TGU: Yamamoto, K inserted at cf in the 9th
Kinugasa inserted at c in the 9th
BBU: York,R batted for Ruel in the 7th
York,R moved to c in the 8th
Elliott batted for Marichal in the 8th
E-Kell. 2B-Kawakami, Matsui,H. SB-Kawakami(1). CS-Yoshida. K-Yonamine,
Betto 2, Duffy, Garciaparra, Snider 2, Marichal 2, Elliott. BB-Kaneda, Duffy,
Kell. SH-Chiba.
GWRBI: Kawakami
Temperature: 39, Sky: clear, Wind: in from center at 18 MPH.
....................................................................................................
4/5/2005, TGU06-BBU06, Braves Field (1928-41)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2006 Giants* 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 4 9 0 4 0
2006 Red Caps 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 6 2
Score O Rnr BS Event
----- - --- -- -----
************** Top of the 1st inning, Giants* batting
0-0 0 --- 10 Yonamine reached on an infield single to second (BX)
0-0 0 1-- 01 Chiba sacrifice bunted to the mound, Yonamine to second
(CXb)
0-0 1 -2- 10 Kawakami lined a single to right center, Yonamine scored
(BX)
1-0 1 1-- 20 Matsui,H grounded into a double play, Herman,Bi to
Garciaparra to Connor (BBX)
************** Bottom of the 1st inning, Red Caps batting
1-0 0 --- 00 Connor flied out to right (X)
1-0 1 --- 12 Duffy struck out, Furuta to Kawakami (SBSS)
1-0 2 --- 00 Garciaparra popped out to first (X)
************** Top of the 2nd inning, Giants* batting
1-0 0 --- 22 Betto struck out (BFSBC)
1-0 1 --- 20 Nagashima flied out to right (BBX)
1-0 2 --- 00 Furuta popped out to short (X)
************** Bottom of the 2nd inning, Red Caps batting
1-0 0 --- 02 Snider struck out (SFFC)
1-0 1 --- 02 Rice,J grounded out to the mound (CSX)
1-0 2 --- 11 Kell grounded out to short (CBX)
************** Top of the 3rd inning, Giants* batting
1-0 0 --- 00 Yoshida lined a single to shallow center (X)
1-0 0 1-- 00 Yoshida was caught stealing second (>C)
1-0 1 --- 02 Kaneda grounded out to short (>C.FFX)
1-0 2 --- 32 Yonamine flied out to left (BCBFBX)
************** Bottom of the 3rd inning, Red Caps batting
1-0 0 --- 10 Herman,Bi grounded out to second (BX)
1-0 1 --- 11 Ruel popped out to center (BCX)
1-0 2 --- 12 Marichal struck out (FSBS)
************** Top of the 4th inning, Giants* batting
1-0 0 --- 02 Chiba flied out to left (CFX)
1-0 1 --- 00 Kawakami grounded a single up the middle (X)
1-0 1 1-- 22 Matsui,H grounded a double down the third base line,
Kawakami to third (BFCBX)
1-0 1 -23 01 Betto lined a single to left center, Kawakami scored,
Matsui,H scored (FX)
3-0 1 1-- 20 Nagashima grounded into a double play, Herman,Bi to
Garciaparra to Connor (BBX)
************** Bottom of the 4th inning, Red Caps batting
3-0 0 --- 20 Connor grounded out to second (BBX)
3-0 1 --- 20 Duffy reached on an infield single to third (BBX)
3-0 1 1-- 00 Garciaparra flied out to left (X)
3-0 2 1-- 22 Snider struck out (CCBBC)
************** Top of the 5th inning, Giants* batting
3-0 0 --- 01 Furuta popped out to short (FX)
3-0 1 --- 31 Yoshida flied out to left (BBFBX)
3-0 2 --- 22 Kaneda grounded out to second (CFBBX)
************** Bottom of the 5th inning, Red Caps batting
3-0 0 --- 01 Rice,J flied out to left (FX)
3-0 1 --- 00 Kell grounded a single up the middle (X)
3-0 1 1-- 21 Herman,Bi flied out to center (BBCX)
3-0 2 1-- 31 Ruel flied out to left (BBSBX)
************** Top of the 6th inning, Giants* batting
3-0 0 --- 22 Yonamine struck out (BFCBC)
3-0 1 --- 31 Chiba grounded out to first (BCBBX)
3-0 2 --- 11 Kawakami lined a double to right center (FBX)
3-0 2 -2- 22 Matsui,H grounded a single between third and short,
Kawakami scored, Matsui,H to second (BFSFBX)
4-0 2 -2- 00 Betto flied out to center (X)
************** Bottom of the 6th inning, Red Caps batting
4-0 0 --- 02 Marichal struck out (CFC)
4-0 1 --- 00 Connor lined a single to left (X)
4-0 1 1-- 31 Duffy walked, Connor to second (BCBB>B)
4-0 1 12- 02 Garciaparra struck out (FCS)
4-0 2 12- 22 Snider grounded to short, forcing Duffy at second (BCSBX)
************** Top of the 7th inning, Giants* batting
4-0 0 --- 21 Nagashima to second on an error by the third baseman Kell
(BFBX)
4-0 0 -2- 12 Furuta popped out to first (CCBX)
4-0 1 -2- 10 Yoshida grounded out to short (BX)
4-0 2 -2- 32 Kaneda walked (BBFBFB)
4-0 2 12- 32 Yonamine grounded out to short (BCBFB>X)
************** Bottom of the 7th inning, Red Caps batting
4-0 0 --- 32 Rice,J flied out to left (BBBCCFX)
4-0 1 --- 32 Kell walked (BBFFBB)
4-0 1 1-- 00 Herman,Bi flied out to center (X)
York,R pinch hitting for Ruel
4-0 2 1-- 21 York,R grounded out to second (BCBX)
************** Top of the 8th inning, Giants* batting
York,R moved to catcher
4-0 0 --- 00 Chiba grounded out to third (X)
4-0 1 --- 01 Kawakami lined a single to shallow center (CX)
4-0 1 1-- 00 Kawakami stole second (>C)
4-0 1 -2- 22 Matsui,H grounded out to short, Kawakami to third
(>C.SBBFX)
4-0 2 --3 12 Betto struck out (CBCFS)
************** Bottom of the 8th inning, Red Caps batting
Elliott pinch hitting for Marichal
4-0 0 --- 22 Elliott struck out (BFBSS)
4-0 1 --- 12 Connor flied out to left (CBSFX)
4-0 2 --- 02 Duffy popped out to first (CCX)
************** Top of the 9th inning, Giants* batting
Russell,J now pitching
4-0 0 --- 22 Nagashima flied out to left (BSFBX)
4-0 1 --- 11 Furuta grounded out to short (FBX)
4-0 2 --- 12 Yoshida flied out to left (CCBX)
************** Bottom of the 9th inning, Red Caps batting
4-0 0 --- 20 Garciaparra grounded out to short (BBX)
Yamamoto, K now playing center field
Kinugasa now playing catcher
4-0 1 --- 31 Snider lined a single up the middle (BBBCX)
4-0 1 1-- 00 Rice,J lined out to third (X)
4-0 2 1-- 00 Kell grounded out to second (X)
