On Thursday evening:

Ronny Rodriguez was 2-4 with a run scored hitting (.375).

Tyler Holt was 1-4 with a run scored, a strikeout, and is hitting (.250).

Trey Haley pitched a perfect inning in relief. His ERA drops to (9.00).

Caracas and Anzoantegue are tied at 1 run each heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Jesus Aguilar notched his first hit of the winterball season, a two out double and was left stranded. Jesus followed the double up with a two out basehit in the seventh. Hector Rondon now on in relief. Hector is limited to one inning in each of his first four ballgames and the limit is 30 innings for the duration.

Rough start for Rondon.............

Caribes Bottom of the 7th

With the score tied at 1 run apiece

Pitching Change: Hector Rondon replaces Loiger Padron.
Jordan Brown flies out to right fielder Josh Kroeger.
Luis Nunez singles on a line drive to center fielder Brandon Barnes.
With Jose Gil batting, wild pitch by Hector Rondon, Luis Nunez to 2nd.
Jose Gil singles on a ground ball to first baseman Jesus Aguilar. Luis Nunez to 3rd.
Gorkys Hernandez walks. Jose Gil to 2nd.
Luis Ugueto walks. Luis Nunez scores. Jose Gil to 3rd. Gorkys Hernandez to 2nd.
Pitching Change: Darwin Cubillan replaces Hector Rondon.

The Caribes went on to score 5 runs in that inning taking a 6-1 lead. Four runs charged to Rondon, all earned. Rondon's ERA is a robust (102.00).

Hernandez hits two-run triple for Caribes

Marlins outfielder also singles, scores in 8-1 victory over Leones

10/13/12 12:42 AM ET
Venezuelan Winter League

Caribes 8, Caracas 1

Marlins outfielder Gorkys Hernandez went 2-for-3 with a two-run triple and a run scored as the Caribes pulled away to beat the Leones. Former Major Leaguer Jose Castillo contributed three hits and also drove in two runs for Anzoategui, while Tigers prospect Eugenio Suarez drove in Caracas' lone run.

Lara 3, Magallanes 2 (10 innings)

Tomas Perez came through with a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning and Rockies farmhand Hernan Iribarren delivered a walk-off single in the 10th as the Cardenales rallied past the Navegantes. Jarrett Grube struck out six over four innings for Lara, while fellow Angels prospect Matt Shoemaker pitched 5 1/3 scoreless frames for Magallanes.

Maragarita 4, La Guaira 3

Aaron Hicks, the Twins' No. 3 prospect, singled and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Bravos rallied past the Tiburones. Mets No. 3 prospect Wilmer Flores reached base three times and scored twice for Margarita, while former Rays farmhand Cesar Suarez homered and drove in two runs for La Guaira.

Zulia 9, Aragua 0

Braves prospect Evan Gattis homered, doubled and drove in three runs to lead the Aguilas past the Tigres. Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis also went deep in support of Rockies farmhand Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who allowed two hits over 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Former Minor Leaguer Alex Romero accounted for two of Aragua's five hits.

Twins' Hicks helps Bravos stay unbeaten

Outfield prospect collects three hits, including RBI single in fifth

10/13/12 2:43 AM ET
Venezuelan Winter League

Margarita 7, Caribes 6

Aaron Hicks, the Twins' No. 3 prospect, went 3-for-5 with an RBI single as the Bravos held off the Caribes to improve to 3-0. Mets' No. 3 prospect Wilmer Flores homered for Margarita, while Minor League veteran Luis Durango had three hits and scored twice for Anzoategui.

Lara 8, La Guaira 1

Phillies prospect Tyson Gillies doubled, singled, walked and scored twice to lead the Cardenales past the winless Tiburones. Mariners farmhand Luis Jimenez slugged a three-run homer for Lara, while C.J. Retherford (Dodgers) drove in the lone run for La Guaira.

Zulia 9, Magallanes 1

Braves farmhand Ernesto Mejia homered, drove in three runs and scored twice as the Aguilas pounded the Navegantes to extend their season-opening winning streak to three games. Tigers Minor Leaguer Justin Henry contributed three hits and also scored twice for Zulia, while Brandon Boggs (Pirates) drove in the only run for Magallanes.

Aragua 4, Caracas 2

Former Minor Leaguer Jonel Pacheco capped a four-run ninth inning with a two-run single as the Tigres stunned the Leones for their first win of the season. Astros farmhand Jose Martinez delivered a two-run double for Aragua, while Nationals Minor Leaguer Carlos Rivero homered in a losing effort.

Mexican Pacific League

Obregon 9, Navojoa 2

Major League veteran Willy Taveras went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored as the Yaquis opened the season by rolling past the Mayos. Red Sox prospect Jeremy Hazelbaker and Carlos Valencia both scored twice for Obregon, while Alejandro Gonzalez homered for Navojoa.

Guasave 3, Los Mochis 2

Mario Valenzuela homered to snap an eighth-inning tie as the Algodoñeros edged the Cañeros. Former Minor Leaguer Beau Vaughan struck out two in a scoreless ninth for the save, while Phillies' No. 7 prospect Sebastian Valle walked and scored a run for Los Mochis.

Culiacan 6, Mazatlan 5

Cory Aldridge, who spent the season with Triple-A Salt Lake, slugged a three-run homer and scored twice to lead the Tomateros past the Venados. Marlon Byrd doubled, singled and also scored a pair of runs for Culiacan, while Dodgers prospect J.T. Wise had two hits and an RBI for Mazatlan.

Mexicali 4, Hermosillo 2

Sergio Mitre allowed one hit over five scoreless innings as the Aguilas held on for a season-opening win over the Naranjeros. Fellow Major League veteran Chris Roberson went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Mexicali, which got a two-run double from Oscar Robles. Braves prospect Todd Cunningham homered for Hermosillo.

In the Caracas game, Jesus Aguilar was 0-4 with 4 strikeouts. Batting average dips below .200 (.182).

Gillies continues torrid start for Cardenales

Phillies outfield prospect goes 2-for-4 with RBI, hikes average to .467

10/15/12 2:07 AM ET
Venezuelan Winter League

Lara 8, Zulia 4

Phillies prospect Tyson Gillies continued his hot start by going 2-for-4 with an RBI as the Cardenales doubled up the Aguilas. Anderson De La Rosa (Brewers) and former Major Leaguer Joe Thurston each drove in a pair of runs for Lara, while Yankees prospect Jose Pirela did the same for Zulia in its first loss of the season.

Caracas 7, Aragua 4

Astros outfielder Brandon Barnes homered, drove in three runs and scored twice to lead the Leones to their first victory of the season. International League All-Star Carlos Rivero (Nationals) was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI for Caracas. Twins' No. 5 prospect Oswaldo Arcia went 2-for-3 with a double for the Tigres.

Magallanes 3, La Guaira 2

C.J. Retherford fell a triple shy of the cycle and drove in two runs, but it wasn't enough to keep the Tiburones from falling to the Navegantes. An error by first baseman and fellow Dodgers prospect Scott Van Slyke allowed Phillies farmhand Andres Blanco to score the go-ahead run in the eighth.

Margarita 9, Caribes 4

J.C. Linares, the Red Sox's No. 17 prospect, hit a solo homer and scored twice out of the cleanup spot in his Winter League debut for the unbeaten Bravos. Jairo Marquez, who spent five years in the Pirates system, went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs, for Margarita, while Gustavo Molina (Yankees) went deep for the Caribes.

Dominican Winter League

Aguilas 9, Gigantes 5

Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan missed the cycle by a triple and plated three runs in the Aguilas' season-opening win. Four Gigantes hit solo homers, including Rangers' No. 20 prospect Leury Garcia.

Licey 7, Escogido 6

Former Major Leaguer Pablo Ozuna gave the Tigres a walk-off win in the ninth after a pair of errors on his single allowed two runs to score. Licey's Leonys Martin (Rangers) walked twice, stole two bases and scored three times. Taylor Green, who appeared in 58 games for the Brewers this season, was 4-for-4 with three RBIs for Escogido.

Estrellas 2, Toros 1

Designated hitter Alex Valdez singled in former big leaguer Felix Pie to give the Estrellas a walk-off win on Opening Day. Pinch-hitter Ed Rogers tied the game in the sixth with an RBI double. Eugenio Velez, who spent the season in the Cardinals system with Triple-A Memphis, doubled and scored for the Toros.

Mexican Pacific League

Hermosillo 3, Mexicali 1

Former Major Leaguer Karim Garcia hit a go-ahead solo homer in the fourth inning as the Naranjeros shut down the Aguilas. Miguel Ruiz allowed one run on five hits over six innings to earn the victory, while former Orioles catcher Geronimo Gil went 2-for-3 with a double and scored Mexicali's lone run.

Guasave 9, Los Mochis 7

Twins prospect Chris Colabello doubled three times and drove in three runs as the Algodoñeros outslugged the Cañeros. Former Padres prospect Jesus Lopez also contributed three RBIs and Mario Valenzuela smacked a solo homer for Guasave. Phillies' No. 7 prospect Sebastian Valle homered and drove in four runs for Los Mochis.

Obregon 5, Navojoa 1

Former Major Leaguer Arturo Lopez struck out five over five solid innings as the Yaquis shut down the Mayos. Carlos Valencia and Barbaro Canizares homered for Obregon, which got two hits and a run scored from Doug Clark. Francisco Arias had two of Navojoa's five hits.

Culiacan 8, Mazatlan 3

Cory Aldridge, who ended the season with Triple-A Salt Lake in the Angels organization, fell a triple shy of the cycle and drove in two runs in the Tomateros' win. Ricardo Serrano also had three hits and chipped in three RBIs for Culiacan, while Dodgers prospect J.T. Wise and Jesus Castillo homered for Mazatlan.

Caracas Jesus Aguilar (.167) pinch hit and struck out.

Caracas Hector Rondon (33.75) pitched 1 inning in relief gave up a run on 2 hits (1 dbl).

Magallanes Toru Murata (1.80) started and pitched 5 inn, 3 hits, 1 run, 3 k's, and 0 w's.

Cibaenos Agilas Tim Fedroff (.400) leading off goes 2-5 with 1 run scored & 1 batted in.

Licey Tigres Danny Salazar (0.00) pitched 2 innings in relief 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout.

La Guaira Breily Puerta (0.00) pitched 1 inning in relief 1 hit and 2 walks but no runs.

Breily Puerta is a 20 year old and played his summer ball in the desert. He was 4-1 with a 3.60 ERA.

Slowey pitching in Dominican winter ball

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 10/11/12 3:17 PM ET

CLEVELAND --

The Indians acquired Kevin Slowey last offseason with the hope that he could provide some experienced depth for the rotation. A season-ending injury cost Slowey his chance of making it back to the big leagues.

With only eight Minor League starts to his credit for 2012, Slowey will continue his comeback with Azucaeros del Estes in the Dominican Winter League this offseason.

Slowey, 28, went 3-3 with a 5.14 ERA in eight starts for Triple-A Columbus before a stress fracture in his rib cage prematurely ended his season. The right-hander earned $2.75 million ($1.5 million paid by Cleveland) in 2012 and will be eligible for arbitration again this winter, making him a non-tender candidate for the Tribe.

Slowey went 0-8 with a 6.67 ERA for the Twins in 2011, but that poor showing followed a solid three-year showing with Minnesota. From 2008-10, Slowey went 35-20 with a 4.36 ERA across 73 big league appearances.

Slowey is just one of Cleveland's winter ball participants for the coming months. Outfielder Tim Fedroff (Aguilas Cibaenas), infielder Juan Diaz (Estrellas Orientales) and pitcher Fabio Martinez (Toros del Este) will also be playing winter ball in the Dominican.

Cleveland's participants in the Puerto Rican Winter League include: right-handers Rob Bryson (Criollos de Caguas), Matt Langwell (Gigantes de Carolina) and Joseph Colin (Gigantes de Carolina); left-hander Giovanny Soto (Gigantes de Carolina); and catcher Roberto Perez (Indios de Mayaguez).

In the Venezuelan Winter League, infielders Gregorio Petit and Jesus Aguilar, and right-hander Hector Rondon will suit up for Leones de Caracas. Right-hander Toru Murata will be playing for Navegantes del Magallanes.

What's Spanish for stiffs?

Friday, Oct. 12, 2012

Defending champion Hawks begin title defense

By JASON COSKREY

After winning last season's Japan Series the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks lost their three best pitchers and an All-Star shortstop.

Play ball: Hiroyuki Nakajima of the Seibu Lions takes batting practice on Friday at Seibu Dome. Game 1 of their first-stage Pacific League Climax Series against the defending Japan Series champion Fukuoka Softbank Hawks is scheduled for Saturday. KYODO PHOTO

Instead of rebuilding, the Hawks reloaded, riding ace Tadashi Settsu and another strong year on the mound to a third-place finish in the Pacific League, earning another trip to the Climax Series.

The Hawks beat the Seibu Lions in an epic 12-inning contest at Yahoo Dome to close out the final stage of the 2011 Climax Series and are hoping to cage the cats again this year.

The two teams get together one round earlier this year, with the series taking place at Seibu Dome.

The Lions feature the PL home run king Takeya Nakamura and MVP candidate Hiroyuki Nakajima in a lineup that led the league with 516 runs. The Lions can be a fearsome opponent at home, and aren't planning to be a doormat for another Softbank celebration.

The Hawks won the season series with a 13-11 record. Game 1 of the Climax Series first stage is scheduled for Saturday at Seibu Dome. Here are five questions ahead of the series:

Can Seibu's bullpen hold up?

Starter-turned-closer Hideaki Wakui is a solid option in the ninth and beyond ... if the Lions can get him the ball.

Seibu's relief corps has been mostly unreliable all year, a fact highlighted by their bloated 3.60 ERA, the worst in the PL.

Randy Williams has a 1.70 ERA in 55 appearances, and is a good late-inning option, but Atsushi Okamoto and Hironori Matsunaga haven't been good.

The best-case scenario for Seibu is to get seven to eight innings from its starter and turn the ball over to Williams and Wakui. Any other scenario could be cause for concern.

How good are Softbank's starters?

Tadashi Settsu embraced his new role as the team's No. 1 starter, the Hawks hardly missed a beat on the mound despite losing their top three pitchers from 2011.

Settsu isn't the flashiest pitcher, but his blunt effectiveness produced results, as evidenced by a 17-5 record and 1.71 ERA. He was usually on top of his game against Seibu, finishing 5-1 in six starts against the Lions.

Shota Takeda should get the start in Game 2 with either a chance to clinch the series or the Hawks' season riding on the rookie's shoulders. The wiry righty's command was inconsistent at times, but he was good enough to post an 8-1 record and 1.07 ERA in 11 starts.

Softbank hopes to have lefty Kenji Otonari (12-8, 2.03) start the opener of the final stage against Hokkaido Nippon Ham, but he'll be ready to pitch in a potential Game 3 against the Lions.

Will the top of the Seibu order deliver?

The Lions have a pair of potent bats in No. 3 batter Hiroyuki Nakajima and cleanup hitter Takeya Nakamura, but their effectiveness is diminished it there's no one on base ahead of them.

The task of setting the table falls to leadoff man Hideto Asamura and No. 2 hitter Shogo Akiyama. Both are good hitters with the speed to take an extra base or steal to help manufacture runs.

Seibu will want to give its pitchers as much run support as possible, and the young leadoff duo's role in that will be vital.

Can Nakamura be contained?

If there's one bat the Hawks will want to tread lightly around, it's the one wielded by Nakamura, who this season won the PL home run title for the second straight season.

Nakamura has a .231 average and 125 strikeouts, so it's pretty much feast or famine when the big man is at the plate, but he'll be in his comfort zone at Seibu Dome, which suits the big-swinging right-handed hitter who hit 12 of his 27 homers at home.

Nakamura should be confident heading into Game 1, having hit .286 in 14 at-bats against Tadashi Settsu this season.

How about the Hawks' offense?

Nobuhiro Matsuda's return — the third baseman had missed over two months with a broken — is a shot in the arm to the Softbank lineup.

Wily Mo Pena (21 home runs, 76 RBIs) gives the Hawks a big power threat of their own, and he's even more dangerous if Yuichi Honda, Kenji Akashi and Seiichi Uchikawa get on in front of him.

Softbank has already proven it can push runs across against Seibu, having outscored the Lions 83-67 in their 24 meetings this season.

Friday, Oct. 12, 2012

Determined Swallows renew rivalry with playoff-tested Dragons

By JASON COSKREY

No matter what changes or how much time passes, it seems like the Chunichi Dragons find a way to make it into the Climax Series.

Back in action: Leadoff hitter Yohei Oshima and the Chunichi Dragons make preparations Friday, a day before the start of the Central League Climax Series first stage against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Game 1 will be played at Nagoya Dome. KYODO PHOTO

The Dragons have a new manager and an aging roster, yet here we are talking about them entering another postseason.

Chunichi earned an automatic spot in the final stage in each of the last two seasons by virtue of winning the pennant. The Dragons were dethroned by the Yomiuri Giants this season, meaning they'll have to go through the Tokyo Yakult Swallows if they hope to make it back this season.

Yakult overcame numerous injuries to beat out the Hiroshima Carp for the third-place slot in the CL standings.

The Swallows return to Nagoya almost a full year after being beaten by the Dragons in the final stage last year, though this year the Birds are determined to get the job done.

The Swallows won the season series with a record of 13-8-3. Game 1 of the Climax Series first stage is scheduled for Saturday. Here's five questions ahead of the series:

How does the Chunichi rotation stack up?

Pitching has been the Dragons' calling card for years, and the team is suited for the spacious Nagoya Dome. Even so, Chunichi will have to push forward without injured ace Kazuki Yoshimi, meaning the rest of the staff has to step up.

Kenshin Kawakami (3-1, 2.83) only saw limited action in his first year back from the majors, but probably pitched his way into a Climax Series start after tossing five scoreless innings against the Swallows in a Chunichi win Sept. 29.

Lefty Kenichi Nakata will also get a start, having faced Yakult three times this season and finishing 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 21-plus innings. The Dragons can also throw either Soma Yamauchi (10-7, 2.43) or Enyelbert Soto (5-1, 1.85) into the mix as well.

Remember, the CL is scrapping the practice of announcing starters for the postseason, so the Dragons can utilize a bit of secrecy in how they reply their starters.

Still, Chunichi pitchers posted a 3.30 ERA against Yakult this season, so they'll need to improve in order to advance.

Does Chunichi have enough offense?

If the Dragons' pitchers aren't able to hold the Swallows at bay, the onus will be on their lineup to overcome its deficiencies.

That could be a tall order for a team that managed a .253 batting average and 57 runs (to the Swallows' 86) in 24 games against Yakult.

Leadoff man Yohei Oshima hit .310 and stole 30 bases this season, which should serve to put the team's main power hitter, Tony Blanco (24 home runs) in favorable situations.

Even if that's the case, the aging Dragons still will need something from Hirokazu Ibata, Masahiro Araki, Kazuhiro Wada, Motonobu Tanishige and Masahiko Morino.

Scoring runs isn't exactly Dragons' strength, so they may have to hope their pitchers can hold Yakult down.

Who's healthy?

Both squads enter the series with the health of a few key players in question.

Firstly, Chunichi starter Kazuki Yoshimi (13-4 record and 1.75 ERA) and Swallows reliever Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi won't play at all. Yoshimi is a huge loss for the Dragons, though it's worth noting he was just 1-2 with a 4.26 ERA against Yakult during the season.

Dragons infielder Hirokazu Ibata is dealing with an elbow injury, but should be able to compete. The status of Swallows outfielder Lastings Milledge is murkier.

Milledge suffered a shoulder injury Sept. 16 and has been sidelined ever since. He'll be on the roster for the Climax Series, but how much his play will be affected, or how much he plays for that matter is uncertain. Milledge's bat warmed up considerably during the middle of the season, and a return would be a boost to the Swallows' chances in this series and beyond.

Can Balentien deliver?

Wladimir Balentien finished the year with a .272 average and CL-best 31 homers and 81 RBIs, bettering his 2011 totals in all three categories despite playing 34 fewer games.

He erased the memory of last season's sluggish finish and arrives in Nagoya with a second chance to impress in the Climax Series.

The Yakult slugger is a legitimate threat to change the course of a game, particularly if the Swallows can get runners on in front of him.

Balentien lit up the Chunichi this season, batting .345 with six home runs and 17 RBI in 55 at-bats against the defending CL champions. He made the most of his seven appearances at Nagoya Dome, batting .304 with a pair of homers.

In a series that could come down to a few runs here or there, the instant offense Balentien can create makes him a key figure to watch.

What's the bullpen situation?

Chunichi features CL saves leader Hitoki Iwase and reigning league MVP Takuya Asao in a bullpen that posted a 2.81 ERA this year.

Junji Tashima, Daisuke Yamai, Jorge Sosa and lefty Masa Kobayashi help form the crux of a unit that, especially at home, can either protect a lead or keep the Dragons in position to strike late in games.

Iwase led the league with 33 saves, but Yakult's Tony Barnette, who was second with 32, may be the more reliable closer at this point in their careers.

The problem for Yakult is getting through a bullpen that posted a 3.22 ERA, the highest in the CL, to get the ball to Barnette.

Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012

Morifuku stays calm in pressure-packed situation

By JASON COSKREY

TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. —

Reliever Masahiko Morifuku made his first postseason appearance of the year in the ninth inning, with the bases loaded, nobody out, and his team clinging to a two-run lead in Game 1 of the first stage of the Pacific League Climax Series.

Getting the job done: (Above) Hawks reliever Masahiko Morifuku (right) is congratulated by teammates after he slammed the door on the Lions, who had the bases loaded in the ninth inning, in Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series first stage on Saturday at Seibu Dome. Fukuoka Softbank beat Seibu 2-1. (Below) Starting pitcher Tadashi Settsu (left) greets Morifuku after the game. KYODO

Fukuoka Softbank Hawks starter Tadashi Settsu had tamed the Seibu Lions for eight innings, but he was in the dugout with an ice pack on his shoulder now, and the Lions and their fans were finally roaring after having just sent reliever Brian Falkenborg to join him.

A three-game series leaves precious little margin for error, especially for the road team, and the Hawks were perilously close to ceding control of the series to their hosts.

"In a short series, it doesn't matter if your condition is good or bad," Morifuku would say later. "It's about heart."

All that stood between the Hawks and either a one-game lead or a one-game deficit was diminutive 171-cm, 65-kg Morifuku. With everything riding on his shoulders, Morifuku came through in the biggest moment of the season, recording three quick outs, while allowing a run, to allow the Hawks to escape with a 2-1 victory.

"Perhaps none of us could even swallow during the last part of the game," Hawks captain Hiroki Kokubo said. "We were in a no-out, bases-loaded situation and could rely on nobody but Morifuku there. It reminded me of the Japan Series."

That's right, we've seen this before.
The stakes were much higher the last time the Hawks asked Morifuku to wriggle out of a bases-loaded jam in the postseason. He was down 2-1 on the road in a previously listless stadium that had just come to life in that game as well. That was Nov. 16, 2011, in the sixth inning of Game 4 in the Japan Series at Nagoya Dome — not far from Morifuku's hometown of Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture — and the Chunichi Dragons were ahead 2-1 in the series.

The left-hander shrugged off the pressure and retired three right-handed batters without allowing a run to preserve the lead in a game the Hawks won 2-1. Softbank would eventually win the series in seven games.

"We were talking about that in the bullpen," Morifuku said after Saturday's win. "I didn't actually think it would really happen. But I guess it did."

Morifuku wasn't perfect against Seibu, but he got the job done.

The first batter he faced was pinch hitter Chris Carter, a sparkplug of a player who had delivered in similar situations this season and earlier in the year gave an in-game speech that inspired the Lions so much the team created, and sold out of, shirts to commemorate the occasion. Carter promptly hit a hard grounder that stayed in the infield and drove in a run at the cost of an out. The next batter, Tatsuyuki Uemoto, flew out to short, and Hisashi Takayama flew out to center to end the game.

"Morifuku was composed in the end," pitching coach Ikuo Takayama said.

If the Hawks close out this series, fend off the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in the final stage of the Climax Series, then edge the Central League representative in the Japan Series, Softbank can look back at this game as the moment everything began to come together.

One misplaced pitch, off-balanced throw, botched relay, or any number of things really, could've led to a Lions walk-off win. Then instead of having to simply not lose in Game 2 in order to advance, the Hawks would be looking at a pair of must-win games on the road, after having wasted a great start by their best pitcher.

Settsu has dominated the Lions over the better part of the last two seasons, but after 119 pitches over eight scoreless innings, he was running out of gas. Falkenborg was tapped to close things out, but the right-hander has dealt with injures for much of the year and isn't 100 percent yet — and it showed in the ninth.

"Falkenborg isn't that bad and his pitches are coming back," Takayama said. "Settsu hit his limit there," he added. "I bet it was difficult for him to pitch like that after a layoff of more than 10 days."

So when the Hawks were in need, they once again turned to Morifuku, who may have saved both the series and the season for his team.

"I'm happier that our team won more than whether or not I did a good job," Morifuku said. "In this kind of short series, every game is obviously important. So winning is everything. No matter how you do it."

Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012

Settsu fires Hawks past Lions in playoff opener

By JASON COSKREY

TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. —

Tadashi Settsu was a long way from Fukuoka, wearing his road uniform and standing on the mound in another team's stadium.

Strong outing: Softbank starter Tadashi Settsu pitches against Seibu in Game 1 of the first stage of the PL Climax Series on Saturday. KYODO

Despite all that, the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks ace felt right at home.

Settsu threw eight scoreless innings, and reliever Masahiko Morifuku pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to help the reigning Japan Series champion Hawks edge the Seibu Lions 2-1 in Game 1 of the first stage of the Pacific League Climax Series on Saturday at Seibu Dome.

"I wasn't really thinking too much about anything as I pitched," Settsu said. "My mind was blank. Even after I got some run support, I kept pitching as if it didn't happen."

The victory gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. Softbank can advance to the final stage against Hokkaido Nippon Ham with a win or a tie in Game 2 on Sunday.

Settsu has owned the Lions at their place, improving to 7-0 with a 1.60 ERA and 39 strikeouts in his last eight starts at Seibu Dome.

Settsu is 6-1 overall in seven starts against the Lions this season.

"We knew he was a good pitcher," Seibu manager Hisanobu Watanabe said. "When you play like we did against him early in a game, you get beaten. So at the end of the day, we should've played differently."

On Saturday, Settsu allowed four hits and struck out five. He left the game after the eighth, and that's when things got interesting.

Reliever Brian Falkenborg walked Takeya Nakamura to start the inning and gave up a double to former teammate Jose Ortiz that put runners at second and third. He then walked Esteban German to load the bases, prompting Hawks manager Koji

Akiyama to bring lefty Morifuku out of the bullpen with the bases loaded and none out.

"I have no excuses," Falkenborg said. "That's just not very good pitching. "I just gotta throw strikes. Coming in, 2-0 lead, you gotta put the ball over the plate. I was extremely lucky today that Morifuku came in and did an outstanding job."

Lions pinch hitter Chris Carter hit an RBI groundout to cut the lead to one, but Tatsuyuki Uemoto popped out to short for the second out of the inning. Morifuku then retired Hisashi Takayama to end the game.

"I was pretty nervous out there," Morifuku said. "I was told to be the back up (in case Falkenborg struggled), so I was ready to go."

The Hawks needed a good performance out of Settsu, because they didn't do much with their bats. Softbank had six hits after three innings, but didn't record another until the ninth.

Kenta Imamiya gave the Hawks the lead with a squeeze bunt in the second and Seiichi Uchikawa doubled the advantage with an RBI single in the third.

Seibu starter Kazuhisa Makita kept the Hawks at bay with a valiant outing in defeat. The submarine hurler went the distance, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out five. He retired 13 consecutive batters at one point.

Hawks third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda collected the first of his two hits leading off the second. Matsuda took third on a hit by Hitoshi Tamura and came home when Imamiya was able to connect with a low pitch to lay down his squeeze bunt.

"I tried to make contact by any means," Imamiya said.

Yuichi Honda kicked off the third with a triple and Uchikawa's RBI single later in the inning made the score 2-0.

"Honda came up with the triple and (Yuya) Hasegawa didn't follow (with a hit), so I wanted to do whatever it took to give ourselves a run," Uchikawa said.

Before coming out, Settsu pitched himself into a jam in the eighth. He walked Takuya Hara to start the inning, then retired Hideto Asamura.

Shogo Akiyama reached on an error by first baseman Kenji Akashi, leaving Settsu to deal with runners on first and second with one out and Hiroyuki Nakajima and two-time defending PL home run champion Nakamura due up in the order.

Nakajima worked the count full, but hit a grounder to third, where Matsuda scooped it up and started an inning-ending double play, leaving Nakamura on deck.

The Hawks will try to wrap up the series on in Game 2 on Sunday. Softbank rookie Shota Takeda (8-1, 1.07 ERA) will take the mound against Seibu's Takayuki Kishi (11-12, 2.45).

Staff writer Kaz Nagatsuka contributed to this report.

Wada carries Dragons

Kyodo

NAGOYA —

Kazuhiro Wada drove in three runs and scored two to lead the Chunichi Dragons to a 6-1 victory over the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Game 1 of the Central League Climax Series' first stage on Saturday. The Dragons can now clinch a spot in the second stage with either a win or a tie.

Wada opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the fourth inning after Swallows southpaw Masahiro Ishikawa walked the leadoff man. Wada singled with one out in the sixth and scored the Dragons' third run, and singled in a run in their three-run seventh.

"I was just trying to build a rally," Wada said. "I wasn't thinking about who was coming up behind me and was able to make a very smooth swing."

The right-handed hitter dove into a low sinker over the plate and drove it into the stands in left.

Right-hander Kenichi Nakata allowed three hits over five scoreless innings to beat the Swallows for the third straight time this year. He struck out five without walking a batter and also set up a scoring opportunity with a one-out double in the third.

Ishikawa, who was 1-1 against Chunichi this season, lasted just four innings, allowing four hits and two walks. He scraped out of jams in the first and third innings when he couldn't throw strikes, and opened the fourth in similar fashion by walking Tony Blanco on five pitches.

The lefty was pulled for a pinch hitter with two on and two out in the top of the fifth, but Nakata retired veteran Atsushi Fujimoto for the final out.

In the sixth, Wada reached on an infield single, went to second on a groundout and scored on Takehiro Donoue's single.

The Swallows threatened to tie the game in the top of the seventh, when CL home run leader Wladimir Balentien went deep to open the inning off rookie right-hander Shinji Tajima. A pair of walks put the potential tying runs on base with one out, but Takuya Asao, the CL's 2011 MVP, stopped Yakult with two straight outs.

Dragons leadoff man Yohei Oshima, who went 3-for-5, singled to open the seventh against lefty Ryo Hidaka, who loaded the bases with another hit and a walk. With one out, Wada singled to start the runs flowing again. Hirokazu Ibata followed Wada with a sacrifice fly, and pinch hitter Ryosuke Hirata singled in the hosts' final run.

Trailing 6-1 in the eighth, the Swallows threatened against right-hander Jorge Sosa, but Daisuke Yamai got the final out with the bases loaded and pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the save.

It was just the second time in 11 games against the Swallows at Nagoya Dome this year that the Dragons scored more than two runs. Yakult went 6-3 with one tie there during the regular season.