Results in June, 1998


Standing at the end of June


Results on June 2

Results on June 3

Results on June 4

Results on June 5

Results on June 6

Results on June 7

Results on June 9

Results on June 10

Results on June 11

Results on June 12

Results on June 13

Results on June 14

Results on June 16

Results on June 17

Results on June 18

Results on June 19

Results on June 20

Results on June 21

Results on June 23

Results on June 24

Results on June 25

Results on June 26

Results on June 27

Results on June 28

Results on June 30


Standing at the end of June

Central League
            G  W  L  T  PCT   GB streak last10  GL 
BayStars   60 35 25  0 .583          W1   9-1   75 
Giants     66 36 30  0 .545  2.0     L1   5-5   69 
Dragons    62 33 29  0 .532  3.0     L2   4-6   73 
Carp       63 30 33  0 .476  6.5     L1   2-8   72 
Swallows   61 27 34  0 .443  8.5     W1   6-4   74 
Tigers     60 25 35  0 .417 10.0     W2   5-5   75 

  Team vs. Team     Win - Loss (Tie)
           BayStars  Giants    Dragons   Carp      Swallows  Tigers    
BayStars    ----     7- 7( 0)  4- 6( 0)  8- 6( 0)  7- 2( 0)  9- 4( 0) 
Giants     7- 7( 0)   ----     7- 7( 0)  8- 4( 0)  8- 7( 0)  6- 5( 0) 
Dragons    6- 4( 0)  7- 7( 0)   ----     7- 6( 0)  7- 4( 0)  6- 8( 0) 
Carp       6- 8( 0)  4- 8( 0)  6- 7( 0)   ----     7- 7( 0)  7- 3( 0) 
Swallows   2- 7( 0)  7- 8( 0)  4- 7( 0)  7- 7( 0)   ----     7- 5( 0) 
Tigers     4- 9( 0)  5- 6( 0)  8- 6( 0)  3- 7( 0)  5- 7( 0)   ----    

Pacific League
            G  W  L  T  PCT   GB streak last10  GL 
Fighters   65 40 25  0 .615          W2   9-1   70 
Buffaloes  61 35 26  0 .574  3.0     L1   7-3   74 
Lions      61 32 28  1 .533  5.5  W5(1) 7-2(1)  74 
Hawks      63 31 32  0 .492  8.0     W1   2-8   72 
BlueWave   61 24 37  0 .393 14.0     L2   5-5   74 
Marines    61 23 37  1 .383 14.5 L12(1) 0-9(1)  74 

  Team vs. Team     Win - Loss (Tie)
           Fighters  Buffaloes Lions     Hawks     BlueWave  Marines   
Fighters    ----     7- 5( 0)  6- 6( 0)  8- 8( 0) 11- 2( 0)  8- 4( 0) 
Buffaloes  5- 7( 0)   ----     7- 5( 0)  6- 7( 0)  6- 4( 0) 11- 3( 0) 
Lions      6- 6( 0)  5- 7( 0)   ----     7- 4( 0)  7- 5( 0)  7- 6( 1) 
Hawks      8- 8( 0)  7- 6( 0)  4- 7( 0)   ----     6- 8( 0)  6- 3( 0) 
BlueWave   2-11( 0)  4- 6( 0)  5- 7( 0)  8- 6( 0)   ----     5- 7( 0) 
Marines    4- 8( 0)  3-11( 0)  6- 7( 1)  3- 6( 0)  7- 5( 0)   ----    

[Results on June 2]

At Tokyo Dome

BayStars   | 0 0 4   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 2 0 0   0 0 2   3 0 X | 7

	WP: Misawa	(1W 2L 3S)
	LP: Yokoyama	(3W 2L)
	HR: YB Komada 4
	    G Kiyohara 10

[The Bay Stars scored 4 runs off Galvez with a 3-run homerun of
 Komada and so on in the second inning.  But the Giants turned
 the game in the 7th inning.  Actually, Motoki and Takahashi
 got 5 RBI in total in the 6th and the 7th inning.  In the 6th
 inning, Motoki got a RBI single and Takahasi got a sacrifice
 fly to tie the game.  In the 7th, Motoki got the game-winning
 hit and Takahashi got a 2-run RBI single to decide the game]


At Nagoya Dome

Swallows   | 1 1 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 0   1 4 1   0 0 X | 6

	WP: Kawakami	(4W 2L)
	LP: Tabata	(3W 5L)
	HR: D Lee 8, Gomez 7

[Gomez, who has come back to the starters tonight, got
 the game-winning 3-run homerun in the 5th inning.  In
 the same inning, Lee also homered to tie the game.
 Now a Dragon rookie Kawakami got his 4th win, going
 to the endo of the 6th inning]


At Sendai

Buffaloes  | 1 0 0   3 0 0   0 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Koike	(4W 1L)
	LP: Fraser	(3W 3L)
	Hd: Bu Shibata

[Koike went to the end of the 7th inning.  He allowed 6 walks
 but only 4 hits.  In top of the first inning, the lead-off
 Mutoh tripled and scored.  In the 4th inning, they got 4
 hits to score 3 runs.  In top of the 9th Ohtsuka appeared
 but he allowed 2 hits and one hit batsman]

 The other three games at  Nishi-Kyogoku, Seibu and Kagoshia,
 were rained out.


[Results on June 3]

At Koshien

Carp       | 0 0 1   0 1 0   2 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 0 0 0   0 0 1   0 1 0 | 2

	WP: Minchey	(5W 4L)
	Sv: Sasaoka	(2W 3L 6S)
	LP: Nakagomi	(4W 5L)
	HR: C Etoh 7

[The Tiger manager Yoshida switched the pitcher from Nakagomi
 to Furumizo in top of the 7th inning, but Furumizo gave up
 a 2-run shot against Etoh and the game was decided.  It was
 the career 200th homer for Etoh]


At Tokyo Dome

BayStars   | 0 0 0   1 0 3   1 4 1 |10
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 0 0 1   0 3 2   3 1 1 |11

	WP: Nishiyama	(2W 1S)
	LP: Shimada	(2W 1L 1S)
	HR: YB Saeki 1, Komada 5, Tanishige 11
	    G Motoki 4, Takahashi 7, Matsui 12, Hirosawa 5, Shimizu 7

[The Giants won the high-scoring game with the game-ending
 hit of Yoshimura in bottom of the 9th inning.  He singled
 to right field with two outs and runners on first and third.
 The Giant closers were so bad that they allowed the Bay Stars
 to tie the game three times.  The Bay Stars couldn't go ahead
 in late innings, so no chance for Sasaki to pitch.  Kiyohara,
 who hit the 4th in the Giant batting order and hit a homer
 in every recent 4 games, has acke on his leg and he will be
 missed for a while]


At Nagoya Dome

Swallows   | 1 1 0   0 0 0   0 1 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 1 0   0 0 0   0 0 1 | 2

	WP: Kawasaki	(5W 3L)
	Sv: Watanabe	(1W 1L 1S)
	LP: Yamamoto	(1W 5L)
	HR: D Gomez 8

[The Swallows went ahead with the game-winning double of
 Mouton, who started tonight. In the second inning, Tsuji
 got a RBI single, in the 8th, Hosey got a RBI double.
 Watanabe, who appeared in the bottom of the 8th, closed
 the game to win a save, although he lost one run with
 an error of CF Manaka]


At Kagoshima

Hawks      | 1 2 0   0 0 3   0 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Marines    | 0 0 0   2 0 0   3 0 0 | 5

	WP: Yoshitake	(4W 3L)
	Sv: Okamoto	(12S)
	LP: Crawford	(3W 4L)
	HR: H Iguchi 8

[The Hawks scored 3 runs with a 2-run shot of Iguchi in early innings.
 In top of the 6th, bases loaded with two outs, Kokubo hit a blooper
 near right foul line.  RF dived to the batted ball, but he couldn't
 get it, and the ball rolled behind him.  As a result, Kokubo advanced
 to third and all base runners scored.  The Marines came back in the
 bottom of the 7th, but Okamoto, who appeared at middle of the 8th
 inning, stopped the Marines]


[Results on June 4]

At Koshien

Carp       | 0 0 0   0 0 3   0 1 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 2 0 0   0 0 1   0 0 0 | 3

	WP: Tamaki,S.	(2W 1S)
	Sv: Kobayashi,K.	(5W 2L 4S)
	LP: Yamaoka	(2L)
	HR: C Etoh 8, Nomura 4

[The Tigers lost at Koshien again.  Yoshida Toyohiko,
 who has moved from the Hawks the other day, started for
 the Tigers.  He allowed only 3 hits but 4 walks and
 2 hit batsmen in 6 innings.  The Tigers sent Hansen
 to hit for Yoshida in bottom of the 6th, so Yamaoka
 appaered on the mound at the beginning of the 7th inning.
 But he gave up the game-winning homerun against Nomura.
    Ohno started for the Carp, but he was removed at the
 end of the 2nd inning, because he felt cold on his left arm.
 He might be out of the roster for a while]


At Tokyo Dome

BayStars   | 1 0 0   0 0 1   1 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Kawamura	(4W 2L)
	Sv: Sasaki	(14S)
	LP: Ono	(2L)
	HR: YB Suzuki,T. 6, Shindoh 8

[Sasaki got his career 217th save points to break the Japanese
 record of career save points.  Kawamura started for the Bay
 Stars, and he allowed only 3 hits when he was removed in bottom
 of the 8th.  Ono started for the Giants and he allowed only 3
 runs in 7.1 innings, but the Giant hitters couldn't help him]


At Seibu

Fighters   | 3 0 0   0 0 1   1 0 4 | 9
-----------+-----------------------+--
Lions      | 4 2 0   0 0 0   0 1 0 | 7

	WP: Shullstrom	(4W 2S)
	LP: Nishiguchi	(1W 7L 4S)
	Hd: L Hashimoto Denny
	HR: F Wilson 10
	    L Martinez 10, Takagi, H. 1

[The Fighters turned the game after two men outs with bases empty
 in top of the 9th inning.  Nishiguchi appeared on the mound
 at the beginning of the 9th inning, and he got two men out easily.
 But he gave up two walks after that.  Now the Fighter hitters
 wake up: all of Brooks, Wilson, Ochiai and Nishiura got RBI hits.
 Shimoyanagi pitched for the Fighters from two outs in bottom of
 the 2nd through one out in bottom of the 8th, but nothing was
 credited with him :-)]


[Results on June 5]

At Nagoya Dome

Giants     | 1 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Makihara	(4W 1L 1S)
	Sv: Nomura	(1W 4S)
	LP: Imanaka	(2W 5L)

[Makihara almost pitched a shutout game.  In top of the 9th,
 Makihara allowed a basehit just after the Giants completed
 a double play.  The Dragons sent Aikoh as a PH, and the Giant
 manager Nagashima switched Makihara into Nomura.  Nomura
 got PH Minamibuchi, who hit for Aikoh, struck out.
 Imanaka started for the Dragons, and he allowed only 2 hits
 in 8 innings.  He gave up 3 walks in top of the first inning,
 and Ishii got a sacrifice fly]


At Tokyo Dome

Marines    | 1 0 0   0 1 0   0 0 2 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   4 1 X | 5

	WP: Sekine	(5W 2L)
	Sv: Shullstrom	(4W 3S)
	LP: Komiyama	(5W 3L)
	Hd: F Kurogi

[Komiyama was again knocked out in the 7th inning.  Narahara,
 the lead-off of this inning, bunted for a hit to reach to first.
 After one man out, Brooks and Wilson got base hits and bases
 loaded with one out.  Ochiai singled to drive 2 runs in, Nishiura
 got a sacrifice fly to go ahead, and Noguchi doulbed to bring
 another run.  In bottom of the 8th, Kataoka doubled to get another
 run.  The Marines came back in the last inning, but they couldn't
 catch up with the Fighters]


At Seibu

BlueWave   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 2 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Lions      | 0 0 2   0 0 0   0 2 X | 4

	WP: Mori	(5W 2L 3S)
	Sv: Hashimoto	(3L 2S)
	LP: Hoshino	(2W 7L)
	HR: L Raabe 2

[Mori started for the Lions.  He was removed in top of the 9th
 when a runner on first with one out.  But reliever Nishiguchi
 was bad.  He got the first batter flied out, but then
 he allowed a double, a BRI single, a walk, a bases-loaded walk.
 Finally he was ejected, and Hashimoto got Neel flied out to
 close the game.  Higashio, the Lion manager, still says that
 he will use Nishiguchi as a set-up for a while]


At Fukuoka Dome

Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   0 0 2   1 2 1 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Okamoto	(3W 7L)
	LP: Takeda	(5W 4L)

[Okamoto pitched a shutout game.  Actually he allowed only
 3 hits.  The Fighters won and the Hawks lost, so now the
 Fighters is the leader, and the Hawks stand at the second,
 led by 1 game]


[Results on June 6]

At Sapporo

Tigers     | 1 0 0   1 2 1   0 0 0 | 5
-----------+-----------------------+--
BayStars   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: May	(1W 1L)
	LP: Nomura	(4W 4L)
	HR: T Powell 6

[May pitched a shutout game.  Yoshida, the Tiger manager,
 said that May couldn't win in May but won in *July*.  He
 said "May" and "July" in English but of course he would
 like to say not July but June :-)  Anyway May allowed
 only three his, one hit batman and no walks.  He has good
 control today, and he delivered to inside, where the strike
 zone in Japan is wider than that in the US.  He got 10
 strike outs, 6 of which was called strike outs.  Powell
 got a RBI double in the first inning, and got a 2-run shot
 in the 5th inning]


At Morioka

Swallows   | 0 0 1   1 0 1   0 3 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Carp       | 2 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 2

	WP: Ishii,K.	(5W 2L)
	LP: Takahashi,K.	(2W 1L)
	HR: S Tsuji 3

[The Swallows beated the Carp.  In the 3rd, Tsuji, who was credited
 with 1500 games in this game, got a homerun.  In the 4th, Mouton
 got a sacrifice fly to tie the game, and in the 6th Miyamoto got
 the game-winning RBI hit.  In the 8th, PH Manaka tripled to clean
 the bases to decide the game.  Carp hitters could get only 4 hits]


At Nagoya Dome

Giants     | 0 0 3   0 1 5   0 1 0 |10
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Cho	(6W 2L)
	LP: Kadokura	(4W 3L)
	HR: G Murata,S. 1

[Cho pitched a shutout game.  Kadokura allowed 3 runs after
 two outs of the 3rd inning.  Murata, M. of the Giants went
 4 for 4, got 3 RBI tonight.  Sumson Lee gave up 5 runs in the
 6th inning, and he might be sent to minor league]


At Tokyo Dome

Marines    | 0 2 3   0 0 2   0 0 2 | 9
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 3 0   0 0 0 | 3

	WP: Kuroki	(5W 3L)
	LP: Shibakusa	(4W 4L)
	HR: M Hori 4, Franco 10, Tachikawa 2
	    F Tanaka 13

[The Marines won with three 2-run homeruns.  In the 2nd, Hori got
 the first one. In the 3rd, Franco hit the second shot, in the 6th
 Tachikawa the third one.  Kuroki got his 5th win although he was
 ejected at the end of the 5th]


At Fukuoka Dome

Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   0 2 0   1 1 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 1 4 0   3 1 1   0 0 X |10

	WP: Hidekazu	(2W 1L)
	LP: Leftwich	(3W 4L)
	HR: Bu Yoshioka 1
	    H Akiyama 5

[The Hawks blew out the Buffaloes with 12 hits and 10 runs.
 The Buffaloes got 11 hits but scored only 4 runs.

 The game at Seibu Dome was rained out]


[Results on June 7]

At Sapporo

Tigers     | 1 0 0   0 1 2   0 0 1 | 5
-----------+-----------------------+--
BayStars   | 1 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Kawajiri	(5W 1L)
	LP: Saitoh,T.	(2W 2L 1S)

[The Tigers won two games in a row at Sapporo.  Kawajiri
 got his 5th win.  In the first inning, Powell got a RBI
 single for the Tigers, and Rose got a RBI single for the
 Bay Stars.  In the 5th, the Tigers went ahead while Hoshino
 grounded into double play.  In the 6th, Yagi doubled to
 left-center field when runners were on first and second with
 one out.  The Tiger relievers, Itoh and Rivera pitched very
 well]


At Fukushima

Swallows   | 1 0 0   0 1 0   0 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Carp       | 0 0 0   0 1 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Itoh,T.	(1W 3L 3S)
	LP: Katoh	(3W 2L)
	HR: S Ikeyama 8

[Itoh pitched a complete game since 1993, when he was a rookie.
 The Swallows won 3 games in a row]


At Nagoya Dome

Giants     | 0 0 0   0 0 2   0 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 2   0 1 1   0 0 X | 4

	WP: Noguchi	(7W 3L)
	Sv: Sun	(2W 10S)
	LP: Saitoh,M.	(5W 5L
	HR: G Shimizu 8
	    D Yamasaki 7

[The Dragons stopped the Giants.  Noguchi, Ochiai and Sun pitched
 very well.  In the third inning, two men out with bases empty,
 pitcher Noguchi doubled.  After Lee singled, Sekikawa tripled to
 right-center field to score two runners.  In bottom of the 6th,
 just after the Giants scored 2 runs with a 2-run shot of Shimizu,
 Yamasaki got a homerun]


At Tokyo Dome

Marines    | 0 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 0 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 0 0 3   0 3 0   0 0 X | 6

	WP: Numata	(2W)
	LP: Mutoh	(1W 2L)

[Numata pitched a his career first complete game.  He allowed
 5 hits but three of them were infield hits.  The Fighters also 
 got only five hits, but 4 of which were hit in the 3rd inning.
 The other one was hit by Wilson in the 5th inning: In this inning,
 the Fighters got 2 hit batmen and one walk, and an error of center
 fielder to score 3 runs]


At Seibu

BlueWave   | 4 0 0   1 0 0   3 0 0   0 0 0 | 8
-----------+-------------------------------+--
Lions      | 0 0 0   1 0 0   5 1 1   0 0 1 | 9

	WP: Denny	(4W 2L)
	LP: Hirai	(1L)
	Hd: BW Mizuo
	HR: BW Fujii 8
	    L Suzuki 9, Martinez 11

[The Lions made graet comeback in late innings.  The Lions
 beated BW starter Kida in the 7th inning.  In the 8th,
 Martinez homered off Mizuo.  In the 9th, BW third baseman
 Igarashi errored a grounder when runner was on second with
 two outs]


At Fukuoka Dome

Buffaloes  | 0 1 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Takamura	(2W 4L)
	LP: Williams	(1W 2L 1S)

[Both starters, Takamura and Williams pitched very well.
 It was Takamura who pitched a shutout game to win.
 In bottom of the third inning, runners were on first and
 second with one out, Iguchi singled to the hole.  But
 second runner Ohmichi went over the third base and the ball
 was passed to the 3B and he was tagged out]


[Results on June 9]

At Jingu

BayStars   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 2 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Swallows   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Miura	(5W 3L)
	Sv: Sasaki	(15S)
	LP: Kawasaki	(5W 4L)

[Kawasaki and Miura were the starting pitchers.  In top of the
 8th, Suzuki Takanori grounded over the head of the pitcher to
 center field and scored the second runner.  The next hitter
 Komada got an infield hit to second baseman and the Bay Stars
 scored another run.  Miura might pitch a shutout game, but
 the Bay Stars sent Sasaki in the last inning to close the game]


At Chiba

Buffaloes  | 1 0 0   0 0 0   0 1 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Marines    | 0 0 0   1 0 2   0 0 X | 3

	WP: Crawford	(4W 4L)
	Sv: Yoshida	(2L 3S)
	LP: Koike	(4W 2L)
	Hd: M Takekiyo
	HR: M Ohmura 1, Hatsushiba 11

[There was the key play in bottom of the 4th inning: Carreon singled,
 Hatsushiba hit a line drive to shortstop.  SS Mutoh got it and he
 threw back to first, but the ball hit the head of Carreon and Carreon
 advanced to second... but the umpires called out for Carreon because
 he intentionally hit the ball.  I can't understand the call because
 the ball hit Carreon from behind of him.  Of course the Marine
 manager Kondoh got angry and protested very hard for 10 minutes.
 Durring the suspention, Buffalo pitcher Koike became bad whereas
 the hitter Ohmura keep consentrate.  After the game was restarted,
 Ohmura homered to center field.  In the 6th inning, Hatsushiba got
 the game-winning two-run homerun]


At Tokyo Dome

BlueWave   | 0 1 0   0 0 2   1 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 1 4 5   0 1 0   1 X 0 |12

	WP: Imazeki	(1W 2L)
	Sv: Shimoyanagi	(2L 1S)
	LP: Kobayashi	(2W 5L 4S)
	HR: BW Pulliam 6
	    F Brooks 11

[The Figheter hitters bombed the Blue Wave.  In top of the second
 inning, Ichiro appeared on bases loaded with two outs after the Blue
 Wave tied the game.  But he grounded out to second baseman.  In
 bottom of the same inning, the Fighters scored 4 runs.  Moreover,
 in bottom of the third inning, Brooks got a grand slam to decide the
 game.  The Fighter batters got 16 hits in total]


At Yamagata

Hawks      | 4 0 0   0 2 1   0 0 2 | 9
-----------+-----------------------+--
Lions      | 2 0 0   0 0 0   0 1 0 | 3

	WP: Nishimura	(5W 2L)
	Sv: Yoshida	(1W 2L 1S)
	LP: Shintani	(1W 1L)
	HR: H Kokubo 1
	    L Martinez 12

[The Hawks went ahead with 5 continous hits in top of the first.
 In bottom of the first inning, Kokubo and Iguchi made errors
 and allowed 2 runs against the Lions.  But Kokubo got a 2-run
 homerun near the left foul pole in top of the 4th inning to bring
 momentam again]

 Games at Koshien and Hiroshima were rained out.


[Results on June 10]

At Koshien

Giants     | 0 0 1   4 0 1   0 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 1 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 0 | 2

	WP: Galvez	(4W 5L)
	LP: Yoshida,T.	(1L)
	HR: G Ishii 3

[The Tigers lost 10 games in a row at Koshien.  Yoshida Toyohiko
 allowed Ishii to hit a homerun in top of the 4th, and after two
 outs, he gave up a walk and a double, so runners were on second
 and third with two outs.  Yoshida gave up a 2-run RBI single
 against Galvez then.  In the end, Galvez pitched a complete game]


At Hiroshima

Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 1   3 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Carp       | 0 0 0   2 0 0   0 0 1 | 3

	WP: Yamamoto	(2W 5L)
	Sv: Sun	(2W 11S)
	LP: Minchey	(5W 5L)
	HR: D Gomez 9
	    C Ogata 7, Etoh 9

[Gomez got the game-winning 3-run homerun in top of the 7th
 inning when runners were on first and second with two outs.
 In bottom of the 9th, Carp hitters came back against Sun:
 Etoh, the lead-off of this inning, homered and after two outs,
 PH Perez walked, PH Asai singled.  But the final batter,
 PH Koh, grounded out to second baseman]


At Tokyo Dome

BlueWave   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 2 0 0   0 1 3   0 0 X | 6

	WP: Iwamoto	(6W 3L)
	LP: Itoh	(1W 5L)
	HR: F Brooks 12, Kataoka 11, Noguchi 3

[Iwamoto pitched a shutout game.  Fighter batters helped him
 with three homeruns.  In paticular, Kataoka's shot in the 5th
 inning went over the stand to hit a ad board (about 140m homerun)]

The other three games at Sendai, Chiba and Jingu were rained out.


[Results on June 11]

At Koshien

Giants     | 1 0 0   4 2 0   1 6 0 |14
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 0 0 0   0 1 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Kuwata	(4W 1L)
	LP: Nakagomi	(4W 6L)
	HR: G Duncan 8, Murata,S. 2

[The Tigers lost 11 games in a row at Koshien.  Nakagomi allowed
 a 3-run homerun against Duncan and a a solo-homer against Murata
 in top of the 4th.  The Tigers got 10 hits but scored only one run]


At Jingu

BayStars   | 0 3 0   0 0 0   0 3 1 | 7
-----------+-----------------------+--
Swallows   | 0 0 0   0 1 0   1 0 0 | 2

	WP: Kawamura	(5W 2L)
	LP: Watanabe	(1W 2L 1S)
	HR: YB Rose 3
	    S Dobashi 3

[The Bay Stars scored 3 runs with 4 continous hits in the second
 inning.  Bay Star catcher Tanishige was ejected because of
 hit by pitch in the 6th inning, and Shimada gave up a homerun
 in bottom of the 7th inning.  Rose help the Bay Stars hitting
 a 3-run shot in top of the 8th]


At Kurashiki

Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   5 0 0   2 | 7
-----------+---------------------------+--
Carp       | 0 2 0   0 1 0   1 1 0   0 | 5

	WP: Satoh,Y.	(1W)
	Sv: Sun	(2W 12S)
	LP: Kobayashi,K.	(5W 3L 4S)
	HR: D Yamasaki 8
	    C Ogata 8

[Sasaoka started for the Carp.  He was good and went
 to the end of the 6th.  Tamaki S. relieved him but
 Tamaki was bad.  In bottom of the 8th inning, Ogata
 homered to tie the game, but the Carp new closer Kobayashi
 gave up the game-winning 2-run homerun against Yamasaki
 in the 10th inning]


At Chiba

Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 1 1 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Marines    | 0 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Sakai	(3W 1L)
	Sv: Ohtsuka	(16S)
	LP: Yoshida	(3L 3S)
	Hd: M Sonokawa

[Yabuta couldn't win again.  He was good, and he allowed only 4 hits
 till he was removed in top of the 8th inning.  It was bad for him
 not to get a grounder hit by Mutoh, the lead-off of the 8th inning:
 it seemed to be grounded out to pitcher, but it became a base hit
 to center.  After a sacrifice bunt and a walk, Sonokawa relieved him.
 He got Rhodes struck out but another reliver Takekiyo allowed Clark
 to single to tie the game.  In top of the 9th, Mutoh singled with
 two outs and bases empty.  After a stolen base, he scored with the
 game-winning hit of Ohmura]


[Results on June 12]

At Koshien

Carp       | 1 0 1   0 0 1   0 0 1   0 0 2 | 6
-----------+-------------------------------+--
Tigers     | 0 0 0   0 0 1   0 0 3   0 0 1 | 5

	WP: Tamaki,S.	(3W 1S)
	LP: Itoh	(1L)
	HR: C Ogata 9, Ogata 10
	    T Taihoh 5

[Taihon got a 3-run homerun off Kobayashi K. in bottom of the
 9th inning to tie the game.  But Itoh, who relieved at the
 begining of the 10th, gave up the game-winning 2-run double
 against Maeda in top of the 12th.  Tiger starting pitcher
 was May, but he gave up 5 walks until he was removed
 in the 6th inning]


At Nagoya Dome

BayStars   | 0 0 0   0 1 0   1 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Nomura	(5W 4L)
	Sv: Sasaki	(16S)
	LP: Imanaka	(2W 6L)
	HR: YB Nakane 1

[The Bay Star pitchers, Nomura and Sasaki, pitched a shutout game.
 The Bay Star hitters got only 5 hits whereas the Dragons got 7 hits
 in total. Nakane homered in the 5th and Haru tripled and scored
 in the 7th inning]


At Tokyo Dome

Swallows   | 5 0 1   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 1 0 0   1 1 0   0 0 0 | 3

	WP: Ishii,K.	(6W 2L)
	Sv: Takatsu	(1W 3L 2S)
	LP: Makihara	(4W 2L 1S)
	HR: S Kobayakawa 3, Hosey 6
	    G Matsui 13, Shimizu 9

[The Swallows beated Makihara in top of the first inning and
 Ishii kept the lead.  Now both the Swallows and the Tigers
 stand at the 5th place]


At Chiba

BlueWave   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 0 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
Marines    | 0 0 0   1 0 0   1 0 X | 2

	WP: Kuroki	(6W 3L)
	LP: Hoshino	(2W 8L)
	HR: BW Pulliam 7

[Both Kuroki and Hoshino pitched a complete game, but Kuroki won.
 Hori got the game-winning hit in bottom of the 7th after double play.
 Hatsushiba of the Marines was credited with career 1000 games tonight]


At Fukuoka Dome

Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 4   0 | 4
-----------+---------------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 0 0   0 2 0   0 2 0   1 | 5

	WP: Okamoto	(1W 12S)
	LP: Shullstrom	(4W 1L 3S)
	HR: H Ohmichi 3

[The Fighters beated Takeda in top of the 9th.  Takeda
 gave up 3 hits in a row and the Hawks had to send Yoshida
 and Okamoto, but couldn't keep the lead.  In bottom of the 10th,
 after Muramatsu doubled and Kokubo got an intentional walk,
 Yoshinaga got the game-winning double]


[Results on June 13]

At Nagoya Dome

BayStars   | 0 0 0   3 0 0   0 1 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 2 4   0 0 0   1 2 X | 9

	WP: Kadokura	(5W 3L)
	Sv: Ochiai	(1W 2L 2S)
	LP: Tokano	(1W 5L)
	HR: D Tatsunami 2, Tatsunami 3

[Tatsunami went 5 for 5, got 6 RBI.  He got back-to-back homers
 in the second and the third inning: a 2-run shot and a grand slam.
 Kadokura got the 5th win with the help of Ochiai]


At Tokyo Dome

Swallows   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 2 | 2

	WP: Cho	(7W 2L)
	LP: Itoh,T.	(1W 4L 3S)
	HR: G Motoki 5

[Both starters, Cho and Itoh, pitched very well.  Both pitchers
 pitched a complete game, and there were turning points in the
 9th inning: in top of the 9th, the Swallows had chance of
 runner on third with one out.  But Cho didn't allow the Swallows
 to score.  In bottom of the same inning, after two men outs,
 Gotoh walked.  Motoki's shot had gone to the left stand.
 It seemed to be the same game in which Itoh got 16 strike outs
 (June 9th, 1993):  After he got 16 SO, he gave up the game-ending
 homerun against Shinozuka]


At Chiba

BlueWave   | 0 1 1   0 3 0   1 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Marines    | 0 2 2   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 4

	WP: Win	(5W 1L 4S)
	LP: Komiyama	(5W 4L)
	HR: BW Neel 7
	    M Satoh 3

[The Marines went ahead with a 2-run shot of Satoh in bottom
 of the third inning to make Fraser go shower.  But Komiyama
 gave up 5 runs in 5 innings and the Blue Wave stopped the
 losing streak]


At Osaka Dome

Lions      | 0 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 0 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
Buffaloes  | 1 1 0   0 0 0   0 2 X | 4

	WP: Maki	(1W)
	Sv: Ohtsuka	(17S)
	LP: Mori	(5W 3L 3S)
	Hd: Bu Nishikawa Kohda Shibata
	HR: Bu Nakamura 8

[Maki, a Buffalo rookie, started for the first time.  Actually
 it was his first game.  He went to the end of the 5th to get
 the first win with help of Buffalo relievers.  Mori pitched
 a complete game, but the Lion hitters couldn't help him]


At Fukuoka Dome

Fighters   | 0 0 3   0 0 0   1 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 1 1   0 1 0   0 0 0 | 3

	WP: Shibakusa	(5W 4L)
	Sv: Kurogi	(2W 3S)
	LP: Nagai	(1L)
	HR: H Lopez 6

[In top of the 7th, the Hawks sent rookie Nagai to the mound,
 but he gave up the game-winning run after he got two men outs]

 The game at Koshien was rained out.


[Results on June 14]

At Tokyo Dome

Swallows   | 1 0 1   0 0 0   0 4 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 0 0 0   0 0 0   2 0 0 | 2

	WP: Kawasaki	(6W 4L)
	LP: Misawa	(1W 3L 3S)
	HR: S Dobashi 4, Soejima 6

[The starting pitchers were Tabata and Saitoh Masaki.
 Saitoh allowed 2 runs in early innings, but anyway
 he went to the end of the 7th inning.  Tabata was good,
 and he seemed to pitch a complete game, but Takahashi
 and Motoki got singles in a row in bottom of the 7th.
 The Swallows led 2-1, runners were on first and second
 with one out.  The Swallows sent Kawasaki to the mound.
 But he allowed a clutch hit against Murata.  In top of
 the 8th, Misawa pitched for the Giants, but he gave up
 the game-winning 3-run shot against Soejima and the game
 was decided]


At Osaka Dome

Lions      | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Buffaloes  | 0 0 1   1 1 0   2 0 0 | 5

	WP: Takamura	(3W 4L)
	LP: Yokota	(2W 2L)
	HR: Bu Nakamura 9

[Takamura pitched another shutout game allowing only two hits.
 Actually the only Lion hitter who got hits is Ozeki]


At Fukuoka Dome

Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 1 3   3 0 0 | 7
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 1 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Numata	(3W)
	LP: Williams	(1W 3L 1S)
	HR: F Tanaka 14, Noguchi 4

[Numata pitched a one-hitter.  In top of the first, he gave up
 4 walks.  If Johjima, who appeared on bases loaded with two
 outs in top of the first inning, could get a basehit, then the
 Hawks would win :-)  Williams was also good until the 4th inning.
 The first hit that he allowed in the 5th inning became a
 game-tying RBI hit.  In top of the 6th, Takana got the go-ahead homer.
 Kataoka got a RBI double, and he scored with a wild pitch of
 Williams.  In the 7th, Noguch homered off Williams and he was ejected]

 The game at Koshien, Hamamatsu and Chiba were rained out.


[Results on June 16]

At Shizuoka

Tigers     | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
BayStars   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 1 X | 1

	WP: Miura	(6W 3L)
	Sv: Sasaki	(17S)
	LP: Kawajiri	(5W 2L)

[Both starting pitchers, Miura and Kawajiri, pitched well.  In middle
 of the 8th, fans in left stand put things to Shinjyo, who just
 substituted center fielder so the game had been suspended for a while
 before the bottom of the 8th inning.  Kawajiri allowed Tanishige,
 the lead-off of this inning, to single, and after a sacrifce bunt and
 a grounded out,  Tanishige advanced to third with two outs.  The
 batted ball by PH Inoue rolled along the right foul line as if he
 had bunted.  Inoue has nice speed, and 1B Yagi watched the ball so
 long.  Yagi got it and tried to tag Inoue out, but Yagi failed to
 tag him out and Tanishige scored.  In top of the 9th, Sasaki closed
 the game]


At Jingu

Carp       | 0 0 0   0 0 0   3 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Swallows   | 0 0 0   1 1 0   1 0 1 | 4

	WP: Takatsu	(2W 3L 2S)
	LP: Tamaki,S.	(3W 1L 1S)
	HR: S Inaba 1

[Watanabe started for the Swallows, and he didn't allow any hits
 until the end of the 6th inning although he gave up 6 walks.
 In top of the 7th, one man out, he gave up the 7th walk.  After
 he allowed Perez to single, he again walked PH Kimura, and he was
 removed.  Hirota relieved but he gave up a 2-run RBI hit against
 PH Tomashino.  Yamamoto relieved him then, but he allowed Nomura
 to hit a sacrifice fly and the Carp went ahead.  But Inaba homered
 to tie the game in bottom of the same inning.  It was Soejima again
 who got the game-winning hit:  he singled on bases loaded with two
 outs in bottom of the 9th inninig]


At Tokyo Dome

Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 1 0   0 0 5 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 0 0 0   1 0 0   1 0 0 | 2

	WP: Noguchi	(8W 3L)
	LP: Galvez	(4W 6L)
	HR: D Gomez 10
	    G Takahashi 8

[The Giants lost again because of no closers.  In bottom of the 7th,
 Takahashi homered to go ahead.  Galvez seemed to pitch a comple game
 to win, but in top of the 9th inning, one man out, PH Minamibuchi and
 Lee singled in a row.  The Giants switched Galvez into lefty Nomura,
 but Nomura gave up a walk against PH Jinno, and Nomura was then
 removed.  Misawa appeared, but he again gave up a homerun:  Gomez
 hit five fouls on count 2-1, and he hit the 9th pitch... his shot
 had gone to the upper deck in the left stand.  Now the Dragons stand
 at the top]


At Fujiidera

Marines    | 1 5 0   0 2 0   0 0 0 | 8
-----------+-----------------------+--
Buffaloes  | 4 0 3   2 0 1   0 2 X |12

	WP: Sakai	(4W 1L)
	Sv: Ohtsuka	(18S)
	LP: Takekiyo	(1W 1L)
	Hd: Bu Morita Shibata
	HR: M Hori 5, Hatsushiba 12, Satoh 4
	    Bu Clark 10, Nakamura 10, Isobe 1, Nakamura 11

[The Buffaloes won a high-scoring game at Fujiidera, a narrow park.
 Koike started for the Buffaloes, but he went to shower in the
 second inning.  The Marine starter Crawford was also removed at the
 end of the first inning.  Nakamura got his second homerun tonight
 in bottom of the 8th inning to decide the game.  Actually the Marines
 got 18 hits, 4 more hits than the Buffaloes, still they couldn't win]


At Kobe

Hawks      | 0 0 0   0 0 1   2 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 0 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Nishimura	(6W 2L)
	Sv: Okamoto	(1W 2L 1S)
	LP: Kida	(3W 2L)
	Hd: H Yoshida
	HR: H Akiyama 6

[Akiyanma got the game-winning 2-run shot in top of the 7th inning.
 It was his career 400th homerun.  Nishimura started for the Hawks,
 and he went to the 9th inning, allowing 5 hits and 1 run]


At Seibu

Fighters   | 1 0 0   1 1 0   1 0 1 | 5
-----------+-----------------------+--
Lions      | 3 0 0   1 0 0   1 5 X |10

	WP: Shiozaki	(4W 2L)
	LP: Iwamoto	(6W 4L)
	HR: F Brooks 13, Noguchi 5, Noguchi 6
	    L Martinez 13, Takagi, T. 5

[In bottom of the 8th, the Lions scored one run with a
 sacrifice fly and they still had chance of runners on
 second and third.  Ozeki seemed to bunt but the pitched
 ball hit his finger, and the umpire called a hit-by-pitch.
 The Fighter manager Ueda got angry, because Ozeki didn't
 try to avoid the ball, so it should be called just a ball.
 Of course the call was not changed, and the next hitter Takagi
 got a grand slam to decide the game]


[Results on June 17]

At Yokohama

Tigers     | 1 0 0   0 0 0   3 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
BayStars   | 0 0 1   1 0 0   3 0 X | 5

	WP: Saitoh,T.	(3W 2L 1S)
	Sv: Sasaki	(18S)
	LP: Furumizo	(2L)
	HR: T Yagi 3
	    YB Rose 4

[In top of the 7th inning, Yagi got a 3-run homerun to turn
 the game.  But in bottom of the same inning, Furumizo, who
 relieved Nakagomi, gave up 3 hits against 5 batters.  Two
 of the hits were doubles, and the last one was hit by Komada,
 which became the game-winning 2-run double to center field.
 Sasaki got a save again tonight, and he broke the Japanese
 record of continous saving streak (17 games in a row)]


At Jingu

Carp       | 3 0 1   0 0 0   0 1 0 | 5
-----------+-----------------------+--
Swallows   | 2 1 0   2 1 4   1 0 X |11

	WP: Hirota	(1W 1L)
	LP: Sasaoka	(2W 4L 6S)
	HR: C Etoh 10
	    S Ikeyama 9

[The Swallows scored 7 runs wit 3 hits in the middle innings.
 Sasaoka was knocked out in the round 4.  Ikeyama got a
 grand slam in bottom of the 6th inning, after 2 walks and an
 infield error]


At Tokyo Dome

Dragons    | 0 0 1   0 0 0   1 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 0 0 0   2 4 0   0 0 X | 6

	WP: Kuwata	(5W 1L)
	LP: Yamamoto	(2W 6L)

[The Giants won with runs in middle innings.  Kuwata
 pitched a complete game to celebrate two record of
 his:  he was credited with career 2000 innings and
 career 1500 strike outs in this game]


At Fujiidera

Marines    | 0 0 1   0 3 1   0 0 0 | 5
-----------+-----------------------+--
Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   2 0 3   1 3 X | 9

	WP: Morita	(4W 1L)
	Sv: Ohtsuka	(19S)
	LP: Kondoh	(2L)
	HR: M Fukuzawa 1, Hirai 3
	    Bu Rhodes 10, Suzuki 3, Murakami 1

[Another high scoring game in Fujiidera.  Three homers
 in late innings brought the Buffaloes to win:  in bottom
 of the 6th Rhodes got a 3-run homerun, in 7th Suzuki a solo
 homer and in the 8th Murakami got a 2-run homerun.  It was
 too bad for the Marines that Franco made two errors in the
 6th and 8th inning: both of the runners who reached to first
 base scored]


At Kobe

Hawks      | 1 0 1   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 5 0 0   0 1 0   0 0 X | 6

	WP: Kobayashi	(3W 5L)
	Sv: Suzuki	(1W 2S)
	LP: Yoshitake	(4W 4L)
	HR: BW Pulliam 8

[Kobayashi started for the Blue Wave.  He went to the 8th inning
 to get his 3rd win.  Blue Wave hitters beated Yoshitake in the
 first inning, getting 5 hits in a row]


At Seibu

Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Lions      | 0 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 X | 1

	WP: Nishiguchi	(2W 7L 4S)
	LP: Imazeki	(1W 3L)

[Nishiguchi pitched a shutout game since September 1996.  The
 Lions scored the game-winning run with the sacrifice fly of
 Ohtomo in bottom of the 7th.  It was the first game for the
 Fighters to lost without runs]


[Results on June 18]

At Yokohama

Tigers     | 1 0 2   0 0 1   2 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
BayStars   | 0 0 3   0 0 0   0 3 1 | 7

	WP: Awano	(2W)
	LP: Rivera	(1W 1L 8S)
	HR: T Hiyama 7, Imaoka 2, Powell 7
	    YB Shindoh 9, Suzuki,T. 7

[Tonight even Rivera couldn't keep the lead.  May started for
 the Tigers, and he went to the end of the 7th.  From bottom of the
 7th inning, Itoh relieved him.  in bottom of the 8th, the Tigers
 led 6-3.  Itoh gave up a basehit and a walk with no outs, and
 Rivera relieved.  He gave up a single against Suzuki, and the bases
 were loaded.  Rose got the sacrifice fly.  Komada and Nakane got
 back-to-back RBI singles to tie the game.  In bottom of the 9th,
 after one man out, Rivera gave up 2 walks and a basehit but a
 runner thrown out at the plate.  Still Rivera couldn't stop
 the momentam of the Bay Stars: Rose got the game-ending hit
 to bring up the Bay Stars to the second place]


At Jingu

Carp       | 0 2 0   0 0 1   0 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Swallows   | 0 0 0   1 1 0   1 2 X | 5

	WP: Yamamoto	(1W)
	Sv: Takatsu	(2W 3L 3S)
	LP: Azuse	(1L)
	HR: S Ikeyama 10

[The Swallows turned the game in late innings.  Against
 the Carp, the Swallows lost the first 7 games in a row,
 and they won the last 7 games in a row.  In bottom of the
 8th inning, Ikeyama got the game-winning 2-run homerun
 off Yamauchi]


At Tokyo Dome

Dragons    | 0 2 0   4 0 0   0 3 1 |10
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 3 0 0   4 0 0   1 0 0 | 8

	WP: Ochiai	(2W 2L 2S)
	Sv: Sun	(2W 13S)
	LP: Nomura	(1W 1L 4S)
	HR: D Nakamura 3, Lee 9, Yamasaki 9, Gomez 11
	    G Matsui 14, Nishi 2

[The Giants again lost in late innings.  In top of the 8th,
 the Giants led 8-6, Nishiyama walked Ohnishi, the lead-off
 of this inning.  A Giant pitching coach Ikegaya went to
 the mound.  He once went back to the dugout, but stopped
 in his way and manager Nagashima decided to switch the pitcher
 into Nomura.  Dragon fans in the left stand got pleased :-)
 And as they expected,  after a strike out, he walked Nakamura
 and he gave up a 3-run shot agianst PH Yamasaki on the count
 2-2.  In top of the 9th, Gomez got a homer, which was first
 called a fair ball and he got out at the second base.  But
 later the umpires changed the call into homerun.  Actually
 there was another bad call in top of the 7th inning when Lee
 "doubled" in left field: Lee seemed to get the second base, but
 out was called.   At that time the call was not changed :-)]


At Fujiidera

Marines    | 1 0 0   0 0 2   2 0 0   0 0 | 5
-----------+-----------------------------+--
Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   0 0 2   0 0 3   0 2 | 7

	WP: Ohtsuka	(1W 19S)
	LP: Takekiyo	(1W 2L)
	Hd: M Sonokawa Fujita
	HR: M Carreon 7
	    Bu Yoshioka 2

[The Buffaloes tied the game in the 9th inning and won in extra
 innings.  Now they stand at the top.  In bottom of the 9th,
 two men out and a runner was on first when Clark, Yoshioka,
 Suzuki and Nakamura got hits in a row to tie the game.  In bottom
 of the 11th inning, Yoshioka homered with one out and runner
 on third]


At Kobe

Hawks      | 0 0 1   0 3 0   0 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 1 1 2   0 0 0   0 1 X | 5

	WP: Win	(6W 1L 4S)
	LP: Yoshida	(1W 3L 1S)
	HR: H Ohmichi 4, Jojima 6
	    BW Ichiro 3, Neel 8

[Win, who relieved in the 5th inning, pitched well.
 The Hawk hitters tied the game although Takeda allowed 4 runs
 in early innings.  In top of the 8th inning, the Hawks had
 chance of runners on first and second with no outs, but
 after failure of bunt (force out at third), there was a
 double play.  In bottom of the same inning, PH Fujii got
 the game-winning clutch hit to right field]


At Seibu

Fighters   | 1 0 0   0 0 1   0 1 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Lions      | 2 0 0   1 2 0   0 0 X | 5

	WP: Teramoto	(1W)
	Sv: Denny	(4W 2L 1S)
	LP: Orellano	(1W 3L)
	Hd: L Carrara Hashimoto
	HR: L Itoh 2

[Teramoto, a four year player of the Lions, started for the first
 time and won for the first time.  He was removed at the end of the
 5th inning.  Actually Ohtomo presented the win for Teramoto: in
 top of the 8th inning, the Fighters had chance of bases loaded with
 no outs.  Noguchi's shot went to left-center field, and CF Ohtomo
 dived and got it.  If he couldn't catch it, then the base runners
 would scored to tie the game.   The Fighters scored only one run
 in this inning]


[Results on June 19]

At Tokyo Dome

Marines    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 3 0   1 3 X | 7

	WP: Sekine	(6W 2L)
	LP: Komiyama	(5W 5L)
	HR: F Tanaka 15

[In bottom of the 5th inning, PH Ogasawara got a RBI single
 to score a runner who reached to first with an error.
 Tanaka, the next hitter, got a 2-run homerun.  Komiyama had
 hard luck to allow another run with an infield hit in the 7th
 inning.  It was pity for the Marines that Carreon got out
 at the plate when he tried to score from the first base with a
 double of Hatsushiba in top of the 4th inning.  Now the Marines
 have lost 5 games in a row]


At Nagoya Dome

Lions      | 0 0 0   1 1 0   1 1 2 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 0 1 0   0 2 1   4 0 X | 8

	WP: Hoshino	(3W 8L)
	LP: Mori	(5W 4L 3S)
	HR: L Kanemura 1
	    BW Fujii 9

[The Blue Wave beated Mori in the 7th inning.  They gathered
 4 hits to score 4 runs against Mori, Hashimoto and Shibazaki.
 From the begining of the 8th inning, the Blue Wave sent Suzuki
 to the mound, but he allowed 3 runs in two innings, so the Blue
 Wave manager Ohgi got angry with Suzuki.  Actually the Lions
got 11 hits, one more hit than the Blue Wave, still lost]

 The other two games at Koshien and Kita-Kyushu were rained out.

 The Swallows are going to sign with Eric Antohny, who played
 for the Dodgers last season.  The Swallows already hold 70 players
 so in order to sign with him, they have to fire one of the players.
 As a result, Mouton will be fired.


[Results on June 20]

At Koshien

Giants     | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 1 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 0 2 0   0 0 0   0 0 X | 2

	WP: Yabu	(4W 3L)
	Sv: Rivera	(1W 1L 9S)
	LP: Cho	(7W 3L)

[The Tigers finally stopped the losing streak.  In bottom of the
 second inning, the Tigers got 2 runs with an error of Motoki
 when the bases were loaded with two outs.  Yabu started for the
 Tigers, and he almost pitched a shutout game.  He was substituted
 when he gave up a basehit and two walks in top of the 9th.
 Rivera got two men flied out, one of them became a sacrifice fly,
 to close the game]


At Hakodate

BayStars   | 0 0 0   0 0 2   3 1 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Carp       | 0 0 0   2 0 0   0 1 0 | 3

	WP: Nomura	(6W 4L)
	Sv: Sasaki	(19S)
	LP: Tamaki,S.	(3W 2L 1S)
	HR: YB Nakane 2

[Nakane got the game-winning 3-run homerun in top of the 7th
 to bring the Bay Stars to a co-leader in the Central league.
 The Carp put Quezada into the starting line-up instead of 
 Ogata.  He went 2 for 2, got a walk, but Carp pitchers were
 still bad]


At Tokyo Dome

Marines    | 0 0 1   0 0 0   0 1 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 3 X | 3

	WP: Kurogi	(3W 3S)
	Sv: Shullstrom	(4W 1L 4S)
	LP: Kuroki	(6W 4L)
	HR: M Hirai 4, Shiigi 1

[The Marines sent Kuroki as a closer in bottom of the 8th
 inning, but it failed.  Takana got a RBI single, and
 Kataoka, who has just come back, got the game-winning
 2-run double]


At Nagoya Dome

Lions      | 1 0 0   0 1 0   1 1 1 | 5
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Shintani	(2W 1L)
	LP: Sugimoto,Y.	(6L)

[Shintani pitched a shutout game since 1996.  He allowed
 only three hits]


At Fukuoka Dome

Buffaloes  | 0 0 1   1 2 0   0 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 1 0 0   1 1 3   0 0 X | 6

	WP: Shinohara	(1W 2L)
	Sv: Okamoto	(1W 14S)
	LP: Iriki	(3W 2L)
	Hd: H Nagai Yoshida
	HR: H Kokubo 2

[Maki again started for the Buffaloes, but Iriki was too bad
 to give a win for Maki.  Instead, Shinohara of the Hawks
 got his career fist win]


[Results on June 21]

At Hakodate

BayStars   | 3 3 0   1 0 0   0 0 0 | 7
-----------+-----------------------+--
Carp       | 0 0 3   0 0 1   0 0 0 | 4

	WP: Tokano	(2W 5L)
	Sv: Sasaki	(20S)
	LP: Minchey	(5W 6L)
	HR: C Etoh 11

[Minchey gave up 6 runs but no earned runs.  In top of the first
 inning, the grounded ball went behind of LF Kanemoto, and the
 Bay Stars went ahead.  In the same inning, Rose got a 2-run single.
 In top of the second inning, 3B Etoh and 2B Shoda made throwing
 errors and the Bay Stars scored 3 more runs.  Sasaki again got
 a save, and now he got 19 save points in a row, which broke
 the Central League record of continous save-point streak games]


At Sapporo

Dragons    | 1 1 0   0 0 0   0 0 1 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Swallows   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 0 | 1

	WP: Kawakami	(5W 2L)
	Sv: Sun	(2W 14S)
	LP: Tabata	(3W 6L)
	HR: D Inoue 4

[The Dragon pitchers, Kawakami, Ochiai and Sun, kept the lead
 to win.  It was a bad call in bottom of the 3rd inning:
 runners were on first and second with one out, Iida was at bat.
 He looked like bunting, and a pitch hit his head.  In Central
 league agreement,  the pitcher who hit the haed of batter is
 automatically ejected, but somehow today, the umpire didn't get
 Kawakami out]


At Tokyo Dome

Marines    | 1 3 0   0 0 3   0 1 2 |10
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 0 1 6   0 1 0   0 1 2 |11

	WP: Shullstrom	(5W 1L 4S)
	LP: Kuroki	(6W 5L)
	HR: M Hirai 5, Satoh 5
	    F Brooks 14, Wilson 11, Tanaka 16

[The Fighters won with the game-ending two-run homerun of Tanaka.
 Kuroki, who pitched only against Tanaka, lost again.
 The Figheters turned the game in bottom of the third inning with
 a grand slam of Wilson, but the Marines came back with a 3-run
 homerun of Hirai and finally they once turned the game in top
 of the 9th inning.  It is too bad for the Marines that both
 Kawamoto and Narimoto are injured]


At Nagoya Dome

Lions      | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 0 1 1   0 0 1   3 0 X | 6

	WP: Kuriyama	(1W)
	Sv: Win	(6W 1L 5S)
	LP: Yokota	(2W 3L)
	HR: BW Pulliam 9, Ichiro 4, Ichiro 5

[Kuriyama started for the Blue Wave to win.  Actually it was
 the first game for him to pitch.  He went to the end of the
 5th inning allowing 3 hits and 2 walks.  From the 6th inning
 through the end of the game Win pitched very well.  In the end,
 the Blue Wave shut the Lions out tonight]


At Fukuoka Dome

Buffaloes  | 2 2 0   1 0 0   0 0 1 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 2 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 2

	WP: Takamura	(4W 4L)
	LP: Hidekazu	(2W 2L)

[Takamura pitched a complete game.  He became better and better
 as innings went.  Buffalo hitters helped him with runs
 in early innings]

 The game at Koshien was rained out.


[Results on June 23]

At Nagoya Dome

Tigers     | 0 0 2   0 0 0   2 0 3 | 7
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 2 0   0 3 0   0 0 0 | 5

	WP: Yoshida,T.	(1W 1L)
	Sv: Rivera	(1W 1L 10S)
	LP: Shohtsu	(1W 1L)

[Yagi got the game-winning single in top of the 9th inning
 to bring win to the Tigers.  In top of the 9th inning, two
 men outs and runners were on first and second, Yagi acted
 bat.  He hit a line drive to center field on the count 3-2,
 and Dragon CF Yamaguchi threw back "rob ball" to second
 so the first runner Shinjyo also scored.  It was too bad for
 the Dragons that two nice Korean players, J. Lee and Sun,
 were removed:  Lee was hit on his knee by Kawajiri in bottom
 of the 4th, and it seemed to be serious injury.  He might
 not play for the rest of this season, or at least he won't
 be able to play for one month.  Sun felt something wrong his
 waist just after he delivered the 6th pitch against Hiyama,
 the lead-off of the 9th inning.  Higasa got Hiyama struck out,
 and the Dragons sent Shotsu to the mound but he allowed 2 hits
 2 walks]


At Hiroshima

Giants     | 4 0 0   0 1 1   2 1 0 | 9
-----------+-----------------------+--
Carp       | 0 0 1   0 0 0   1 1 1 | 4

	WP: Saitoh,M.	(6W 5L)
	LP: Sasaoka	(2W 5L 6S)
	HR: G Duncan 9, Hirosawa 6, Duncan 10, Hirosawa 7
	    C Nomura 5

[The Carp again lost with bad fielding.  In top of the first,
 runners were on first and second with two outs,  Takahashi
 singled to center field.  Tonight, CF Perez failed to get it,
 and the ball went behind of him.  So the first runner Matsui
 scored, and Takahashi advanced to third.  The next hitter
 Duncan homered and the Giants scored 4 runs in total.  The Giant
 hitter got 14 hits in the end, and now Saitoh got career
 166 wins to be the most winning pitcher in the active pitchers]


At Toyama

Marines    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Lions      | 1 1 1   0 1 0   0 0 X | 4

	WP: Nishiguchi	(3W 7L 4S)
	LP: Yabuta	(4L)
	HR: L Ohtomo 1

[Nishiguchi pitched a shutout game again.  He allowed 4 hits,
 and he didn't allow third runner.  Yabuta also pitched a complete
 game, but Marine hitters couldn't help him.  Now the Marines
 lost 8 games in a row]


At Osaka Dome

BlueWave   | 0 0 0   0 0 2   0 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   2 1 0   0 0 0 | 3

	WP: Koike	(5W 2L)
	Sv: Ohtsuka	(1W 20S)
	LP: Kida	(3W 3L)
	HR: BW Fujii 10

[The Buffaloes went ahead with the 2-run double of Suzuki but
 the Blue Wave came back with the 2-run homer of Fujii.  In top
 of the 8th, runners were on first and second with one out,  the
 Buffaloes substituted Koike into closer Ohtsuka.  Ohtsuka got
 PH Igarashi grounded out to first baseman.  Moreover the ball
 was turned into second to get Neel out because of the bone head
 of Neel: he seemed to misunderstand it was a foul ball.  Anyway,
 the inning was over and the Blue Wave didn't have another chance]


At Tokyo Dome

Hawks      | 1 4 0   0 1 0   0 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 0 0 4   0 1 1   0 0 1 | 7

	WP: Shullstrom	(6W 1L 4S)
	LP: Okamoto	(1W 1L 14S)
	HR: F Tanaka 17

[The Fighters won in the 9th inning.  Tanaka singled to
 center field on bases loaded with two outs in bottom of
 the 9th inning.  The Hawks went ahead 5-0 in middle of the
 second inning, but starting pitcher Nishimura and Hawk
 set-uppers couldn't keep the lead]

 The game at Hitasuka was rained out.
 The Swallows fired Lyle Mouton, and he will be free if
 no team make offer for him until June 29.


[Results on June 24]

At Nagoya Dome

Tigers     | 0 1 1   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Nakagomi	(5W 6L)
	Sv: Rivera	(1W 1L 11S)
	LP: Kadokura	(5W 4L)

[The Tigers won 3 games in a row.  Nakagomi and Rivera shut
 out the Dragons.  As for the Dragons, it was pity that Tatsunami
 got out three times in runner on scoring position with two outs.
 Lee of the Dragons will be missed for three months because of
 operation on his right elbow]


At Yokohama

Swallows   | 0 0 0   0 2 0   0 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
BayStars   | 0 1 0   3 2 0   1 0 X | 7

	WP: Miura	(7W 3L)
	LP: Ishii,K.	(6W 3L)
	HR: YB Nakane 3, Rose 5

[Miura pitched a comlete game to be the second Bay Star pitcher
 who has pitched a complete game this season: the first pitcher
 is Kawamura, who pitched in the opening game :-)  Rose helped
 him with hitting 2-run homerun in bottom of the 5th inning, just
 after the Swallows scored 2 runs]


At Hiroshima

Giants     | 2 0 0   0 2 0   3 0 0 | 7
-----------+-----------------------+--
Carp       | 0 0 0   1 0 2   0 0 0 | 3

	WP: Galvez	(5W 6L)
	LP: Katoh	(3W 3L)
	HR: G Matsui 15, Hirosawa 8
	    C Perez 1

[The Carp lost 7 games in a row.  In bottom of the 6th inning,
 Perez got a 2-run homer, but in top of the 7th Tamaki, who
 relieved Katoh at the beginning of the 6th inning, gave up
 a 3-run homer against Hirosawa.  Galvez pitched a complete
 game to win]


At Toyama

Marines    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   3 2 0   0 0 | 5
-----------+-----------------------------+--
Lions      | 0 0 0   0 0 5   0 0 0   0 1 | 6

	WP: Denny	(5W 2L 1S)
	LP: Takekiyo	(1W 3L)
	HR: M Ohmura 2
	    L Martinez 14

[The Marines lost 9 games in a row.  Iso and Teramoto were the
 starting pitchers, and both picthers were good.  In bottom of
 the 6th, the Lions went ahead with a 3-run homer of Martinez
 and so on, but the Marines came back in late innings.  Ohmura
 got a 3-run homer to make Teramoto go shower.  He also got
 another RBI hit in the 8th, and the Marines finally tied with
 a sacrifice fly of Kosaka in the same inning.  But the Marines
 have no reliable set-uppers now, whereas Denny is a nice set-upper
 for the Lions now.  As a result,  Martinez got the game-ending
 single through the hole on bases loaded with two outs in bottom
 of the 11th inning]


At Osaka Dome

BlueWave   | 1 0 0   0 0 1   0 3 2 | 7
-----------+-----------------------+--
Buffaloes  | 0 0 1   0 0 0   1 0 0 | 2

	WP: Suzuki	(2W 2S)
	LP: Nishikawa	(1L)
	Hd: BW Mizuo
	HR: Bu Rhodes 11

[Fujii got the game-winning hit in top of the 8th inning.
 The Blue Wave catch up with the Marines now]


At Tokyo Dome

Hawks      | 0 0 2   0 0 0   1 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 3 0 0   0 1 0   5 0 X | 9

	WP: Imazeki	(2W 3L)
	Sv: Kurogi	(3W 4S)
	LP: Takeda	(5W 5L)
	HR: F Brooks 15, Tanaka 18

[The Fighter hitters bombed in the 7th inning.  It was Tanaka
 who decided the game:  after they scored 2 runs in this inning,
 Tanaka got a 3-run homerun.  His shot flied very high, and dropped
 near the left foul pole.  The Hawk manager Oh got so angry that he
 removed catcher Jojima to "preach" him in the dugout:-)]


[Results on June 25]

At Nagoya Dome

Tigers     | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 X | 1

	WP: Yamamoto	(3W 6L)
	LP: May	(1W 2L)

[Yamamoto pitched a shutout game.  May also pitched well.
 It was the 7th inning that decided the game.  In top
 of the 7th inning, the Tigers had chance of runners on
 first and second with no outs.  Wada bunted, but the
 ball rolled just in front of catcher Nakamura, and he
 threw to third and seemed to get Hiratsuka out, but
 the ball dropped off the glove of Gomez, so the Tigers
 seemed to have chance of bases loaded with no outs.
 But somehow, Hitatsuka didn't think that Gomez would drop
 the ball, so he was out of the base and got tagged out.
 Actually Hiratsuka didn't even slide.  In bottom of the
 same inning, Tatsunami was on first with two outs when
 Nakamura doulbed to left field.  Tatsunami tried to the
 plate, and the ball was passed from LF Powell to C Yano
 via SS Imaoka.  The play at the plate seemed to be out,
 but it was called safe.  I'm not sure, but Tatsunami
 made nice sliding, at least the plate umpire thought so.
 Yano got angry with the call, and he pushed the umpire
 to be ejected.  The Tigers couldn't come back tonight
 and the Dragons stopped the losing streak at 5]


At Yokohama

Swallows   | 0 0 0   0 0 1   0 0 0 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
BayStars   | 0 0 1   1 0 0   0 1 X | 3

	WP: Saitoh,T.	(4W 2L 1S)
	Sv: Sasaki	(21S)
	LP: Kawasaki	(6W 5L)

[The Bay stars have won 7 games in a row.  The Bay Stars
 got two GIDP in both the 3rd and 4th innings, but they
 also got runs in the innings.  Saitoh allowed 3 hits in
 6 innings, Shimada 1 hit in 2 innings and Sasaki 1 hit
 in 1 inning]


At Hiroshima

Giants     | 2 1 1   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
Carp       | 0 0 0   0 2 0   0 0 0 | 2

	WP: Kuwata	(6W 1L)
	LP: Kuroda	(1L)
	HR: G Matsui 16

[The Carp lost 8 games in a row, where as the Giants
 won 3 games in a row.  In top of the first inning,
 Matsui got a 2-run homerun to right.  Actually his
 shot hit the board over the right stand.  Kuwata pitched
 another complete game, allowing 6 hits]


At Tokyo Dome

Hawks      | 0 0 1   0 2 0   0 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Fighters   | 4 1 1   0 0 0   0 0 X | 6

	WP: Kanemura	(4W 1S)
	Sv: Shullstrom	(6W 1L 5S)
	LP: Tanoue	(1L)
	Hd: F Shimazaki
	HR: F Brooks 16, Kaneko 1

[Brooks got the game-winning grand slam in the first inning.
 In the 6th inning, the Fighters sent three pitchers,
 Numata, Shimoyanagi and Shimazaki to stop the Hawks.
 Shullstrom pitched the last 3 innings to close the game]


[Results on June 26]

At Koshien

Swallows   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 0 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Itoh,T.	(2W 4L 3S)
	LP: Funaki	(1L)

[Both starting pitchers, Funaki and Itoh, pitched very well.
 In paticular, Itoh pitched a shutout game allowing only
 two hits.  In top of the 7th inning, after one out, Soejima
 tripled and Miyamoto got the game-winning single to center
 field.  The Tigers lost 0-1 again]


At Nagoya Dome

Carp       | 0 0 0   0 0 0   2 0 0 | 2
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 1   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Minchey	(6W 6L)
	Sv: Kobayashi,K.	(5W 3L 5S)
	LP: Imanaka	(2W 7L)
	HR: D Taneda 1

[The Carp stopped the losing streak.  In top of the 7th,
 runners were on second and third with one out, Seto
 got the game-winning double.  Dragons seems too bad
 since the injury of Lee: they got only 5 hits tonight]


At Chiba

Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   0 0 0   1 0 0   0 2 | 3
-----------+-----------------------------+--
Marines    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 1   0 0 | 1

	WP: Sakai	(5W 1L)
	Sv: Morita	(4W 1L 1S)
	LP: Fujita	(2W 3L 3S)
	HR: Bu Suzuki 4

[The Marines have finally lost 10 games in a row.  The Marines
 tied the game with a walk and two wild pitches in bottom of the
 9th inning. Komiyama went to the end of the 10th inning, but
 Marine relievers,  Fujita and Kuroki, were bad:  In the 11th
 inning, Fujita gave up a triple against Clark after he got
 Rhodes struck out, and Kuroki relieved.   After he gave up a walk
 and an infield hit, Yoshida got the game-winning 2-run single]


At Kobe

Fighters   | 0 0 1   0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 5 | 6
-----------+-------------------------------+--
BlueWave   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 1 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Shimoyanagi	(1W 2L 1S)
	LP: Win	(6W 2L 5S)

[The Fighters have won 7 games in a row.  Sekine started for
 the Fighters, and he seemed to pitch a shutout game.  But
 in bottom of the 8th inning, he gave up two walks in a row
 when runners were on first and second with two outs.
 The game seemed to be a tie game, but in top of the 12th
 inning, the Fighter hitters beated Blue Wave relievers,
 Win and Mizuo to score 5 runs with 4 hits and 2 walks.
 Shimoyanagi, who pitched the last three innings, got
 his first win in this season]


At Fukuoka Dome

Lions      | 3 3 0   0 2 5   0 0 0 |13
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 0 4   0 1 0   1 0 1 | 7

	WP: Mori	(6W 4L 3S)
	LP: Williams	(1W 4L 1S)
	Hd: L Carrara
	HR: L Martinez 15
	    H Yoshinaga 4

[The Lions knocked out Williams in early innings, and
 in middle innings, they beated Hawk set-uppers, Fujii,
 Shinohara and Kazumi, to decide the game]


[Results on June 27]

At Koshien

Swallows   | 1 0 0   0 5 0   0 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 0 0 0   3 0 0   0 0 0 | 3

	WP: Yamamoto	(2W)
	LP: Yabu	(4W 4L)

[Yabu became bad after an error in top of the 5th inning.
 In this inning, two men outs and bases empty, Manaka
 grounded to third, but Hoshino made an error.  After a
 base hit and a hit-batman, Yabu allowed Ikeyama to hit
 a 2-run single.  He gave up a double against Soejima
 and he lost.  The Tigers lost three games in a row after
 they won 3 games in a row]


At Tokyo Dome

BayStars   | 3 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 0 0 0   0 0 1   0 1 0 | 2

	WP: Kawamura	(6W 2L)
	Sv: Sasaki	(22S)
	LP: Cho	(7W 4L)
	HR: YB Suzuki,T. 8

[The Bay Stars won with the 3-run homerun of Suzuki
 in top of the first inning.  Kawamura was removed
 in bottom of the 6th inning, but Bay Star set-uppers,
 Sekiguchi, Igarashi and  Awano, kept the lead.
 At last Sasaki closed the game and he got 21 save-points
 in a row, which tied the Japan record]


At Nagoya Dome

Carp       | 2 0 0   0 0 1   0 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 2 2 0   0 1 0   0 0 X | 5

	WP: Kawakami	(6W 2L)
	Sv: Sun	(2W 15S)
	LP: Takahashi,K.	(2W 2L)
	HR: C Perez 2

[The Carp starting pitcher Takahashi gave up 4 runs in 2 innings.
 The Dragons put Taneda to the lead-off instead of Lee, and he
 went 3 for 5]


At Chiba

Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   0 0 1   0 2 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Marines    | 0 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 0 | 1

	WP: Morita	(5W 1L 1S)
	Sv: Ohtsuka	(1W 21S)
	LP: Mutoh	(1W 3L)

[The Marines have lost 11 games in a row, and they now
 stand at the bottom.  Mutoh of the Buffaloes got
 the game-winning hit in top of the 8th inning]

  The Marines have signed with Bryan Warren(sp?)
 who plays for a team in Taiwan, and played for
 a 3A team under the Rengers.


At Kobe

Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 1 0   0 0 0 | 1
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 2 0 0   0 0 9   1 0 X |12

	WP: Itoh	(2W 5L)
	Sv: Sugimoto,Y.	(6S)
	LP: Shibakusa	(5W 5L)
	HR: BW Neel 9

[The Blue Wave got 9 runs with 8 hits, one walk and an error
 in bottom of the 6th inning.  Ichiro and Ogawa got 3 hits
 and 3 RBI for each.  Now they escape from the bottom]


At Fukuoka Dome

Lions      | 0 2 1   4 1 0   0 1 0 | 9
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 0 0   0 0 1   1 0 0 | 2

	WP: Shintani	(3W 1L)
	LP: Hidekazu	(2W 3L)
	HR: H Yugamidani 1, Yoshinaga 5

[Hidekazu started for the Hawks, but he gave up 7 runs
 in four inning, although there were three errors in
 the second and the third inning.  Shintani pitched a
 complete game allowing 5 hits but no walks nor hit-batman]


[Results on June 28]

At Koshien

Swallows   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 0 0 0   1 0 0   0 2 X | 3

	WP: Takeuchi	(2W 3L)
	Sv: Rivera	(1W 1L 12S)
	LP: Kitagawa	(1W 1L)

[The Tiger pitchers, Takeuchi and Rivera, pitched a shutout
 game.  Rivera threw in the last two innings.  Wada got
 the game-winning single in the 4th inning.  In bottom of the
 8th inning, Shinjyo got a 2-run single to decide the game]


At Tokyo Dome

BayStars   | 2 0 0   0 0 0   3 0 0 | 5
-----------+-----------------------+--
Giants     | 0 0 0   1 0 4   0 0 3 | 8

	WP: Makihara	(5W 2L 1S)
	LP: Igarashi	(1W 1L)
	HR: G Kiyohara 11

[The Giants stopped the Bay Stars.  The Bay Stars tied the
 game with a 3-run double of Haru in the 7th inning, but
 they couldn't go ahead so Sasaki couldn't throw.  On the
 other hand, the Giants sent Makihara as a reliver in top
 of the 9th inning, and Kiyohara got the game-winning 3-run
 homerun off Igarashi in bottom of the same inning]


At Nagoya Dome

Carp       | 1 1 0   2 0 0   2 0 2 | 8
-----------+-----------------------+--
Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Kitoh	(2W 4L)
	LP: Noguchi	(8W 4L)
	HR: C Etoh 12

[Kitoh pitched a shutout game.  The Carp got 8 runs
 with 14 hits to defeat the Dragons.  Gomez of the
 Dragons is now out of the roster because of his
 bad knee and the Dragon batters got only 6 hits]


At Chiba

Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   4 2 0   0 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Marines    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 2 0 | 2

	WP: Takamura	(5W 4L)
	LP: Crawford	(4W 5L)
	HR: Bu Yoshioka 3

[The Marines lost 12 games in a row.  In top of the 4th,
 the Buffaloes led 1-0, and runner was on second with two out,
 Nakamura singled to right field.  RF Ohmura failed to get it,
 and not only the second runner but also Nakamura scored.
 Crawford seemed to be so disappointed that he gave up a homerun
 against the next batter Yoshioka.
 Akahori of the Buffaloes come back.  He threw in the last inning.
 He got three outs with 4 pitches]


At Kobe

Fighters   | 0 0 0   0 0 4   0 0 0 | 4
-----------+-----------------------+--
BlueWave   | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Iwamoto	(7W 4L)
	Sv: Kurogi	(3W 5S)
	LP: Kuriyama	(1W 1L)
	Hd: F Shimoyanagi
	HR: F Brooks 17, Nishiura 11

[The Fighter pitchers shut out the Blue Wave.  In top of the
 6th inning, the Fighters went ahead with two 2-run homeruns.
 In bottom of the 8th inning, Iwamoto was ejected after he gave
 up three singles in a row.  Shimoyanagi appeared in this pinch
 of bases loaded with no outs, and he got two men struck out
 in a row.  Kuroki then relieved him, and he got PH Hironaga
 flied out]


At Fukuoka Dome

Lions      | 2 0 0   1 0 0   1 2 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Yokota	(3W 3L)
	LP: Sakumoto	(2W 2L)
	HR: L Matsui 2, Kakiuchi 1, Suzuki 10

[The Hawks lost again.  Sakumoto started for the Hawks, but
 he allowed 3 runs in early innings.  In paticular, Matsui of
 the Lions, the lead-off, got a homerun in field in top of the
 first inning.  Yokota also pitched a shutout game but the Lion
 manager Higashio liked to test Ishii for relief pitcher, and
 he switched Yokota into Ishii with two outs and bases empty
 in the last inning]


[Results on June 30]

At Koshien

Dragons    | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0
-----------+-----------------------+--
Tigers     | 0 0 0   0 0 0   2 0 X | 2

	WP: Kawajiri	(6W 2L)
	Sv: Rivera	(1W 1L 13S)
	LP: Kadokura	(5W 5L)
	HR: T Powell 8

[Kawajiri and Rivera shut out the Dragons.  Kawajiri won 6 games
 now but 4 of them are against the Dragons.  As for the batters,
 PH Powell got the game-winning 2-run homerun in bottom of the
 7th when runner was on second with one out]


At Yokohama

Carp       | 0 0 0   2 5 0   2 1 0 |10
-----------+-----------------------+--
BayStars   | 0 0 2   0 0 3   8 0 X |13

	WP: Awano	(3W)
	Sv: Sasaki	(23S)
	LP: Yamauchi	(1W 4L)
	HR: C Etoh 13, Etoh 14, Etoh 15, Nomura 6
	    YB Saeki 2, Saeki 3, Shindoh 10, Ishii,T. 1

[What a high scoring game! But it was Sasaki who closed the game,
 and now he has broke the Japanese record of consecutive-save-point
 streak: He got a save point in 22 games in a row.  Etoh of the Carp
 got three homers in his second, third and 4th act bat, and drove
 8 runs in, but the Carp lost.  Actually the Bay Stars scored 8 runs
 on bases empty with two outs.  The Bay Stars line-up is called
 "Machine gun line-up" because they don't have long hits, but tonight,
 after they scored one run, they got three homeruns:  Saeki got
 a 3-run shot to tie the game, Shindoh a 2-run shot to go ahead and
 Ishii a 2-run shot to decide the game]


At Jingu

Giants     | 4 0 0   0 0 0   2 0 0 | 6
-----------+-----------------------+--
Swallows   | 0 0 0   4 0 2   2 0 X | 8

	WP: Yamamoto	(3W)
	LP: Iriki	(1W 3L 3S)
	HR: G Kiyohara 12
	    S Ikeyama 11, Ikeyama 12

[Ishii started for the Swallows, but he was too bad in the first
 inning.  He gave up 4 walks, 2 of which was on bases loaded.
 But Satioh, who started for the Giants, was not so good that
 he gave up a grand-slam against Ikeyama.   Ikeyama also got
 the game-winning 2-run shot off Iriki in bottom of the 7th,
 just after the Giants tied the game with a 2-run shot of Kiyohara]


At Fukui

Lions      | 1 0 2   0 0 0   0 2 0   0 0 0 | 5
-----------+-------------------------------+--
Marines    | 0 0 0   0 5 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 5


Pitchers: L Mori-Taninaka-Ishii-Sugiyama-Denny-Hashimoto
          M Yabuta-Takekiyo-Fujita
(Tie game)

[The Marines couldn't win again, but not lost :-)  They scored
 5 runs with 6 hits in the 5th inning, but Yabuta allowed to
 tie the game in the 8th inning.  Fujita, who appeared in top
 of the 9th inning and pitched for 3.1 innings, didn't allow
 any go-ahead run, and the Marines managed to tie the game]


At Fukuoka Dome

BlueWave   | 0 0 2   0 0 1   0 0 0 | 3
-----------+-----------------------+--
Hawks      | 0 0 1   1 1 0   4 0 X | 7

	WP: Shinohara	(2W 2L)
	LP: Sugimoto,Y.	(7L 1S)
	HR: BW Fujii 11

[The Blue Wave relievers allowed 4 runs with an error.
 Whereas Hawk relivers Shinohara, Okamoto and Yoshida
 pitched well after Nishimura was ejected in the 6th inning.
 Now the Hawks stopped the losing streak at 6]


At Osaka Dome

Fighters   | 1 2 0   0 0 0   2 0 0 | 5
-----------+-----------------------+--
Buffaloes  | 0 0 0   0 0 0   0 0 0 | 0

	WP: Imazeki	(3W 3L)
	LP: Koike	(5W 3L)

[Koike started for the Buffaloes but he had bad control
 in early innings.  He gave up 4 walks in two innings.
 Imazeki pitched a shutout game without any walks nor
 hit batmen]