Swallows‘ Win Streak Snapped, Fall 5.5 Games Behind Hiroshima After 6-3 Loss
TOKYO – The Yakult Swallows saw their hopes of closing the gap on the playoff race dashed today, falling 6-3 to their opponents and ending any chance of a winning streak. The loss leaves Yakult 5.5 games behind 5th-place Hiroshima in the Central League standings.
The game saw a flurry of pitching changes and offensive struggles for the Swallows. Starter Ryan Lambert suffered his 11th loss of the season, lasting four innings and allowing four runs on six hits, including a two-run home run by Okabayashi in the fourth. Lambert threw 97 pitches, recording one strikeout and three walks.
Despite falling behind 0-4, the Swallows mounted a comeback attempt.In the sixth inning, Murakami launched his 19th home run of the season – a two-run shot - bringing the score to 2-4, marking the first time Yakult had scored multiple runs in four games.
The Swallows narrowed the gap further in the seventh, scoring a run to make it 3-4, but failed to capitalize wiht runners on second and third and no outs. A double play ended the inning, leaving them trailing.
The game slipped away in the eighth inning. A wild pitch from Yamamoto allowed Ishii to score, extending the lead to 3-5. Further damage was done as Fukunaga was hit by a pitch, and Tanaka scored, making it 3-6.
Relief pitcher Matsumoto Ken managed to shut down the opposition in the final two innings, striking out three, but the damage was already done.
Key moments included Ishii going 1-for-4, Kanamaru contributing a sacrifice hit, and Tanaka reaching base on a grounder. On the defensive side, Kitamura Megumi made a notable play in left field.
The Swallows will look to rebound in their next game as thay continue their pursuit of a playoff berth.
