GaryMrMets
10-25-2005, 06:04 PM
Valentine's Marines on brink of winning Japan Series
By JIM ARMSTRONG
.c The Associated Press
OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Bobby Valentine's Chiba Lotte Marines are one win away from winning the Japan Series.
Kazuya Fukuura hit a grand slam in a seven-run seventh inning Tuesday and starter Hiroyuki Kobayashi went six strong innings at Koshien Stadium as the Marines defeated the Hanshin Tigers 10-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship.
``It was a fastball low in the strike zone,'' said Fukuura. ``Because the bases were loaded, I knew I would get something good to hit and just tried to be as aggressive as possible.''
The Pacific League champion Marines are bidding for their first Japan Series title in 31 years and can wrap it up on Wednesday with a win over the Central League champions, who have been outscored 30-2 in the first three games.
Tasuku Hashimoto's single up middle off reliever Kyuji Fujikawa in the seventh drove in two runs and gave Lotte a comfortable 5-1 lead. Tsuyoshi Nishioka then singled in Matt Franco before Fukuura blew the game open with his first homer of the series.
``The guys are hitting very well,'' said Valentine. ``They are very confident right now and are playing baseball the way it is meant to be played.''
The Tigers, who had a 17-day layoff after clinching the Central League title and waiting for the Pacific League playoffs to end, continued to look sluggish.
Tomoaki Kanemoto, Hanshin's best hitter in the regular season, is 0-for-10 at the plate.
The last time a team has come from three games down to win a Japan Series was 1989 when the Yomiuri Giants rallied to defeat the Kintetsu Buffaloes.
Kobayashi, a 28-year-old right-hander who went 12-6 in the regular season, turned in another strong performance for the Marines.
``I was a bit shaky at first,'' said Kobayashi. ``My changeup was good and I eventually got my slider and fastball working too.''
Lotte took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth.
Tomoya Satozaki hit a bases-loaded double-play ball to short but the umpire called him safe at first as the runner scored from third to give Lotte a 2-1 lead.
Instant replays showed that Satozaki was clearly out.
Toshiaki Imae then hit a two-out slow roller to third that allowed Koichi Hori to score from third to make it 3-1.
Benny Agbayani gave Lotte a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a sacrifice fly to left that scored Saburo Omura.
Hanshin tied the game in the bottom of the second on a Kentaro Sekimoto infield grounder to third that scored Makoto Imaoka from third.
10/25/05 08:50 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
By JIM ARMSTRONG
.c The Associated Press
OSAKA, Japan (AP) - Bobby Valentine's Chiba Lotte Marines are one win away from winning the Japan Series.
Kazuya Fukuura hit a grand slam in a seven-run seventh inning Tuesday and starter Hiroyuki Kobayashi went six strong innings at Koshien Stadium as the Marines defeated the Hanshin Tigers 10-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship.
``It was a fastball low in the strike zone,'' said Fukuura. ``Because the bases were loaded, I knew I would get something good to hit and just tried to be as aggressive as possible.''
The Pacific League champion Marines are bidding for their first Japan Series title in 31 years and can wrap it up on Wednesday with a win over the Central League champions, who have been outscored 30-2 in the first three games.
Tasuku Hashimoto's single up middle off reliever Kyuji Fujikawa in the seventh drove in two runs and gave Lotte a comfortable 5-1 lead. Tsuyoshi Nishioka then singled in Matt Franco before Fukuura blew the game open with his first homer of the series.
``The guys are hitting very well,'' said Valentine. ``They are very confident right now and are playing baseball the way it is meant to be played.''
The Tigers, who had a 17-day layoff after clinching the Central League title and waiting for the Pacific League playoffs to end, continued to look sluggish.
Tomoaki Kanemoto, Hanshin's best hitter in the regular season, is 0-for-10 at the plate.
The last time a team has come from three games down to win a Japan Series was 1989 when the Yomiuri Giants rallied to defeat the Kintetsu Buffaloes.
Kobayashi, a 28-year-old right-hander who went 12-6 in the regular season, turned in another strong performance for the Marines.
``I was a bit shaky at first,'' said Kobayashi. ``My changeup was good and I eventually got my slider and fastball working too.''
Lotte took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth.
Tomoya Satozaki hit a bases-loaded double-play ball to short but the umpire called him safe at first as the runner scored from third to give Lotte a 2-1 lead.
Instant replays showed that Satozaki was clearly out.
Toshiaki Imae then hit a two-out slow roller to third that allowed Koichi Hori to score from third to make it 3-1.
Benny Agbayani gave Lotte a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a sacrifice fly to left that scored Saburo Omura.
Hanshin tied the game in the bottom of the second on a Kentaro Sekimoto infield grounder to third that scored Makoto Imaoka from third.
10/25/05 08:50 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.