June 06 Chunichi vs. SoftBank NPB Live Broadcast, Sports Analysis
-
Editing and deleting posts requires login
As the starting pitcher falters, the Chunichi Dragons, who have suffered consecutive losses, will have Yuya Yanagi (3 wins, 3 losses, 3.42 ERA) attempt his fourth win of the season. On the 30th, Yanagi lost after pitching 5 innings and giving up 3 runs against Seibu at home, showing inconsistency in home games, which is a concern. Compared to last year, Yanagi's performance against Seibu was worse, and he also struggled in a road game against SoftBank last year, giving up 3 runs in 6 innings, which is certainly a concern. In the previous game, the Chunichi batting lineup, which was held in check by Tomohisa Ozeki and managed to score only 1 run against Kazuki Matayoshi, still seems to have serious issues with its batting performance at home. The slump in the middle of the batting order is particularly painful. The bullpen, which pitched 4 scoreless innings, is glad to have Sho Iwasaki back.
Riding a five-game winning streak thanks to the balance of their pitching and hitting, the SoftBank Hawks will have Nao Higashihama (2 wins, 1 loss, 3.09 ERA) attempt his third win of the season. On the 30th, Higashihama was defeated after giving up 6 runs in 5 innings in a road game against Yomiuri, with two home runs in one inning leading to the loss. Last year, Higashihama lost after giving up 5 runs in 6.1 innings at home against Chunichi, but he improved in his second interleague game, which he must replicate this time. In the previous game, the SoftBank batting lineup was impressive in capitalizing on opportunities, scoring 5 runs against Shinnosuke Ogasawara. The performances by Naoki Sato and Tatsuru Yanagimachi, who were called up from the second team, are boosting the team's morale. The bullpen, which gave up 1 run in 4 innings, was disappointed by the run allowed by Matayoshi.
In this interleague series, Chunichi's batting has been far from impressive. Although Higashihama struggled in his previous game, he has enough potential to bounce back. On the other hand, expecting Yanagi to pitch well after Ogasawara's collapse is a stretch, and SoftBank's bullpen stability is also returning. The SoftBank Hawks, with their superior strength, are close to victory.
Predicted Score: 4-2, SoftBank Victory
Winner Prediction: SoftBank Victory
Handicap: Chunichi Victory
Over/Under: Over