September 28th 18:00 NPB Yakult Hanshin Korea-Japan Baseball Analysis Sports Analysis
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With a focused batting lineup, the Yakult Swallows have successfully achieved three consecutive victories. Yamano Taichi (2 wins, 4 losses, 6.80 ERA) is seeking his third win of the season. On the 21st, he suffered a defeat at home against Chunichi, giving up 5 runs in 4 innings, which exposed his struggle at home. His previous performance against Hanshin, where he allowed 4 runs in 1.2 innings on the road, is particularly concerning. In Thursday's game, Yakult scored 6 runs, including a 2-run homer by Murakami Munetaka, capitalizing on Tookuda Hiroki. The lineup has shown a resurgence since the announcement of Coach Takatsu's contract renewal. Murakami, who contributed 3 RBIs including a homer, offers hope for next year. However, the bullpen, which allowed 1 run over 2.1 innings, has been relatively shaky, especially Kazuto Taguchi's pitching.
The Hanshin Tigers, who narrowly lost in extra innings, will see Jeremy Beasley (8 wins, 2 losses, 2.05 ERA) attempt to secure his 9th win of the season. On the 20th, Beasley had a poor performance as a reliever, giving up 3 runs in 1.1 innings, proving that he should not be used in relief again. Conversely, his starting performances have been outstanding, such as his victory with 1 run allowed over 5 innings in the recent game against Yakult. In the previous game, Hanshin's lineup scored 2 runs, including a solo homer by Teruaki Sato against Oosera, but the rest was not enough, with fatigue from road games affecting their performance as well. The bullpen, which allowed only 1 run over 5 innings, faced a loss after mistakenly using a starter in relief again.
Yomiuri's magic number is down to 1, and Hanshin's chances of winning the championship have almost evaporated. However, Hanshin is expected to demonstrate tremendous focus until this game. Beasley remains an effective pitcher in Central League games, while Yamano struggles with home performances. Despite some fatigue, the scenario in Jingu Stadium changes things for Hanshin. The Tigers, with a stronger starting lineup, are closer to victory.
Expected Score: 4-2, Hanshin wins
Win/Loss: Hanshin wins
Handicap: Yakult wins
Over/Under: Under