A two run homer by Rakuten first baseman Kevin Witt capped a four run rally that brought his team from two runs down so that they could prevail over the Yokohama Bay Stars Monday 5-3 at Yokohama Stadium. Kimiyasu Kudoh started for the Stars and pitched well, seven innings on five hits and just a shake over 90 pitches, but a throwing error by shortstop Takuro Ishii that opened the floodgates did him in and he was dubbed the loser even though all four runs he was charged with were unearned. 

As he has been all spring, though, the story of this game was rookie righthander Masahiro Tanaka and he really floundered in that first inning before settling down to leave with the pitching line of seven innings, 126 pitches, five hits, three runs (all earned), five strikeouts and five walks. 

So let's go to the first and Ishii reached on a one out infield hit. Centerfielder Tatsuhiko Kinjo and third baseman Shuichi Murata each walked to load the bases. Leftfielder Takahiro Suzuki also worked a freebie to force Ishii in with a 1-0 lead. With first baseman Yuki Yoshimura up at the plate, Tanaka bounced one in the dirt and it carromed just a few feet from catcher Akihito Fujii, who quickly shoveled it to Tanaka to keep the runner at third. But Tanaka thought he had a chance to nail Suzuki returning to first and threw it wildly, Kinjo flying home as Witt dove to smother the peg and then tag Suzuki. An ensuing popup averted what could have made this a really bad day for the kid. 

Kudoh was perfect through three. However, in the fourth, rightfielder Koichi Isobe singled to left with two gone and DH Takeshi Yamasaki's ground ball was fielded by Ishii, who fired it into the outfield to put men on second and third. Third baseman Shoji Ohiro doubled to left and Witt stepped up and socked a Kudoh delivery into the leftfield seats for a 4-2 Eagles advantage.

Tanaka, the press believed, was being squeezed by the plate umpire and so he went into a lot of deep counts, the result being that he coughed up a single in the second, third and fourth, but still didn't get hurt. He walked a man in the fifth and when he returned to the dugout after the inning ended, manager Katsuya Nomura called him over and basically told him to man up. With that stick he also dangled tu carrot of being permitted to go seven if he fashioned a 1-2-3 sixth. Tanaka was flawless in the sixth.

Unfortunately, he was flawed in the seventh. With one out, pinch hitter Takahiro Saeki walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Second baseman Toshihisa Nishi singeld to center and Saeki rambled home to shave it to 4-3. It would stop there, as the next seven Yokohama batsmen were banished without incident by Tanaka and two relievers. 

And Rakuten got the run back besides. In the eighth, reserve leftfielder Fumitoshi Takano singled to left and stole second before continuing to third on the bad throw by catcher Ryoji Aikawa. Centerfielder Teppei Tsuchiya flew out to left and Takano tagged up and busted across for the 5-3 final. 

This was Tanaka's first win as a pro, though it will obviously not be official. Kudoh was suprised by the Komadai Tomakomai High grad's stuff. "When I started with Seibu, I was a spot lefty," he said. "So I hope he will become a 200 game winner and bring some excitement to the league."

For Yokohama, closer Mark Kroon pitched the ninth and put Rakuten away without a hitch. 

For Rakuten, leftfielder Rick Short was 0-2 and is at .294. Witt was 1-3 and is at .243. 

Hanshin I've been told that Tigers games will not be televised over the internet this season. What the fuck is up with that? There is a big contingent of Hanshin fans in the Japanese expat community and they have quite a few foreign fans, too. I guess they saw how Bud Selig cut off access to the MLB extra innings package this season for most fans and Tigers management was only imitating that. Or something. What a bunch of clueless dickheads. 

Lefthander Atsushi Nomi went five innings Sunday against Yomiuri and allowed a run, that coming on a solo jack by leftfielder Yoshitomo Tani, thus solidifying his hold on a rotation spot.

Hiroshima Leftfielder Tomonori Maeda hurt his right quad Saturday during a game with Yokohama and will be out at least two weeks. 

Yakult Taxi squad pitcher Hidenori Itoh will start for the Swallows Tuesday against Chunichni at Meiji Jingu Stadium due to injuries to fellow moundsmen Dicky Gonzalez and Ryo Kawashima. In his most recent instructional league outing, he went five innings and permitted a run on two hits. He was drafted out of the Shikoku Island League. 

The Swallows injury problems were nearly compounded Sunday when rookie sidearmer Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi had a ball lined off his shin in the third. But after receiving some treatment in the dugout, he returned to finish the inning and then was sat down. He is expected to be ready for his next scheduled appearance. He was clocked at 92mph. 

Yokohama Maybe Hayato Terahara has indeed found new life with the Bay Stars. Saturday, he went five shutout innings against Hiroshima before surrendering three runs in the sixth. He would then rebound for a scoreless seventh to conclude his assignment. Terahara has looked pretty good thus far. Let's hope he can carry that over into the regular season. 

Yomiuri The Field Turf at Tokyo Dome has been reconditioned yet AGAIN, this time increasing the padding by 25% in hopes of preventing player injuries. 

In an encouraging sign for the Giants bullpen, setup man Masanori Hayashi went a scorelesss inning on a hit against Rakuten Saturday. 

Miscellaneous Pittsburgh righthander Masumi Kuwata tossed a scoreless inning on a hit Saturday and so Monday, when the Bucs sent five players down to the minors, Kuwata wasn't among them. He is scheduled to pitch in relief on Wednesday and threw 64 pitches Monday as a tuneup. 

Also scheduled for Wednesday is Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is penciled in for six innings. Matsuzaka expressed enthusiasm for squaring off against Kuwata, who he never faced in Japan. 

Hideki Okajima pitched in a B game Monday and tossed a scoreless inning. 

Takashi Saito went a scoreless innings against the Washington Nationals Monday. 

Ichiro Suzuki had three hits Sunday against Milwaukee, but the most significant occurrence was him being thrown out stealing. He finished his 2006 MLB regular season campaign without being nailed in 40 straight attempts. Ichiro then went 2-4 Monday. 

Kenji Johjima had a rougher day at the ballyard Sunday, though. First, he was beaned on the helmet by a Ben Sheets curve ball. Then with men on first and third, the runner went and Johjima faked throwing to second and the runner at third bit on it, and Johjima hadhim dead to rights, but threw the ball away for a run scoring error. 

Fortunately, he had a better day Monday, going 2-3 with a walk. However, he is concerned over what he says is a recent inability to lift pitches from lefties. 

Yankees pitching coach Ron Guidry worked with Kei Igawa Monday on not only shortening his stride, but on keeping his elbow up and finishing off his pitches properly. Igawa ultimately threw 42 pitches. He will start a game Tuesday against Philadelphia. 

Tomokazu Ohka started against the Yankees Monday and went five innings of one run, three hit ball. 

In that contest, Hideki Matsui was 1-3 with an RBI. Former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is leading the field of Republican presidential hopefuls right now but who is also been called on the carpet by the big apple's firefighters as well as Chrstian groups not very happy with his personal life (three marriages, including an instance of flagrant adultery), tried to quell some of that ill will Mondayby visiting the Yankees camp. 

Chicago White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi was 0-4 Monday against Kansas City. 

Narita High School had a practice game against Uenomiya Taishi High the other day to prepare for taking part in the spring Koshien Tournament and were no hit in a 2-0 loss. Boy, that was productive. 

Then in a practice game on the 13th, Sendai Ikuei High ace Yoshinori Sato, who reminds people a lot of former Waseda Jitsugyo High number one starter Yuki Saito in terms of his makeup and stuff, had a ball hit off of his pitching hand and suffered a bruise. But that has now largely cleared up and he was ablt to throw 89 pitches during Sunday's workout. 

Speaking of Saito, he is scheduled to go either five innings or 100 pitches for Waseda University in a practice game with Chuo University Tuesday. It will be the most covered college practice match in Japanese baseball history. 

For those of you who would like to work for Hochi Sports, they will have exams (yes, you read that right and it is common practice in corporate Japan) occurring in mid-April. Details are Here. Gambatte kudasai. 

For those who are living in Japan, cable satellite provider Sky Perfect has a special baseball related introductory offer for their  e2 service . They will broadcast both NPB and MLB games. I don't know how good or bad this service is, but there it is if you want to have a look.