Japan’s most unlucky pitcher in baseball finally smiled.
But his victory had a funny twist. His second win of the season was a complete game shutout.
It was a game that confirmed that it’s hard to win a game if you can’t carry the load all by yourself.
Takahashi added his second win of the season with a complete game shutout. Photo via Junichi Dragons website camcorder
Junichi ace Hiroto Takahashi, 20, a member of Japan’s 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) squad, was crying over his bad luck.
He had pitched well against the Orix on April 4, striking out a whopping 13 batters in seven innings of no-hit ball, but he couldn’t get the win.
Takahashi is a newcomer to the Japanese baseball scene.
He made his debut last year and quickly dominated the league. With a 2.47 ERA, he quickly established himself as the team’s ace.
His stock rose when he was selected to the WBC team.
His fastball averages over 150 mph. He is recognized for his ability to overpower opponents with his power.
However, this season, he hasn’t had much success. The team’s poor batting lineup has contributed to their lack of success.
He only had one win (6 losses) before the Chiba Lotte game on March 13.
In 51 innings pitched, he gave up 40 hits (4 home runs), 61 walks, 18 strikeouts, 17 runs (14 earned), and a 2.47 ERA.
Victory, however, was elusive.
It wasn’t until the 13th, against Chiba Lotte, that he added a second win.
But when you watch the game, you can’t help but smile. It was a complete game shutout for Takahashi.
Takahashi pitched nine innings of five-hit ball, striking out nine and walking two.
The score was 7-0 in favor of Junichi. The bats came alive, taking the pressure off Takahashi’s shoulders.
But if it wasn’t for the no-hitter, the game might have changed again. If Takahashi had made the slightest mistake, the outcome of the game could have been reversed.
Takahashi’s shutout was a big reason why the team was able to pull out the win.
As of the 16th, Junichi has a team batting average of .239, which is fifth out of six teams. They are tied for last in runs scored with 169. That’s almost 40 runs out of fifth place. The team’s 27 home runs are also the only ones under 30.토토사이트
It doesn’t matter how well you pitch, if your offense doesn’t support you, you can’t win.
How long will Takahashi’s misfortune continue? It’s hard to win a game when you can’t carry the entire game on your own.
Junichi’s batting lineup is showing no signs of life. There seems to be nothing left for Takahashi to do but leave the victory to the heavens and do the best he can.