(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
 Fukuoka Hawks opens Japan Series with big win
Nederlands
 FUKUOKA (Japan) -
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks opened the 68th Nippon Series on Saturday-evening (October 28) in its home-stadium with a convincing 10-1 score against Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
Game 2 will be played on Sunday.
Fukuoka won the Japan Series three times since 2011.
Yokohama last won the Championship-title in 1998.
Since 2002, the team finished in last place ten times.
At Fukuoka Yahuoku! Dome, filled with more than 36,000 spectators, the home team struck early, scoring one run in the first and two in the second at bat.
Yokohama got one run back in the top of the fifth inning, but Fukuoka then decided the game moments later with a 7-run rally in the home half of the fifth inning.
Fukuoka opened the score in the first inning on a double by Cuban Alfredo Despaigne off of starter Shoichi Ino.
The lead was lifted to 3-0 in the next at bat when Yuya Hasegawa belted a 2-run homerun.
...Winning pitcher Kodai Senga...
...On the photo, he pitches for Japan vs. Netherlands...
...during the 2017 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
In the top of the fifth inning, Yokohama scored its lone run on a grounder by Masayuki Kuwahara.
In the bottom of the fifth, Fukuoka rallied for seven runs.
Despaigne singled in a run, then the next two runs were added when Keizo Kawashima and Takuya Kai both walked with the bases loaded.
Hereafter, Yuki Yanagita delivered a 2-run single, followed by a 2-run triple by Kenta Imamiya to make it a 10-1 score.
Fukuoka-starter Kodai Senga threw seven strong innings in which he gave up only four basehits and struckout three batters.
Hereafter, relievers Yudai Mori, Shinya Kamaya and Hayato Terahara completed the game for the Hawks.
Winning pitcher Senga participated with Japan in the World Baseball Classic in March of this year.
On March 12, he threw two innings in relief against the Netherlands during the Second Round.
He then struckout three hitters and gave up three basehits.
Japan won the game 8-6 in eleven innings.
During the Nippon Series, the starting pitchers are not announced in advanced, but only shortly before the game starts.
In predictions for possible starters, Dutch righthander Rick van den Hurk is listed as the possible starter for Fukuoka in Game 5.
(October 28)
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