Yomiuri Giants

Shuichi Murata hit a homer against the Yokohama Bay Stars on Saturday and became the twenty-fourth player to record a home run against all twelve NPB teams.  The last player to achieve the feat: Terrmel Sledge on May 22.  Source: Sponichi 8/5/2012

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Shinnosuke Abe's left heal has not fully healed -- he told reporters that it was at about sixty to seventy percent, that he was managing okay with a brace, and that he could not afford to take time off and had to play through the injury as it healed.  Source: Sponichi 8/5/2012, Daily Sports 8/5/2012

Hanshin Tigers

The Tigers fell fifteen or more games under .500 for the first time since they finished the 2001 season twenty-three games under .500.  Source: Daily Sports 8/5/2012

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Randy Messenger's next start will likely be against the Yomiuri Giants on August 7.  Messenger was scheduled to toss a bullpen session on Saturday, but was instead asked to prepare himself for a possible relief outing.  Source: Sanspo 8/5/2012

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Ryota Arai on having more home runs than his older brother, Takahiro Arai, via Nikkan Sports: "My brother and I are in completely different situations.  My brother is a major cog on this team and has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.  He is fighting through an amazing amount of pressure.  On the other hand, I have nothing to lose..."

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Ni-gun Softbank game on Saturday: Kazuhito Futagami tossed a three-hit shutout.  Final line: 9 IP, 112 NP, 31 BF, 3 H, 0 HR, 3 SO, 1 BB, 1 SF, 0 R, 0 ER. ... Craig Brazell went 1-for-2 (started in left, batted third): single to right, ground out to first.  He was removed from the game on defense in the 4th.  Source: Sanspo 8/5/2012

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Daiki Enokida tossed a bullpen session on Saturday -- twenty pitches to a standing catcher.  He could get his first rehab outing on either August 11 (Ikusei game against Kyushu Kyoritsu University) or 12 (Ikusei game against Osaka Taiiku University).  Source: Sanspo 8/5/2012

Hiroshima Carp

Tsubasa Aizawa (fractured nose with five stitches that should come out in about nine days) began his rehab workouts -- which included weight training, playing catch, hitting off a tee, and watching baseballs thrown by a pitching machine -- at the Ono training facilities today.  Source: Daily Sports 8/5/2012, Nikkan Sports 8/5/2012