Eri Yoshida's first season in Golden Baseball League official came to a close when the Chico Outlaws played out the last game of their regular season on the 2nd.

Yoshida's final stats:

Pitching

Note: In the four games Yoshida didn't get a decision, the Outlaws went 4-0.

Batting

And her game log:

The CPBL apparently felt that Shin Nakagomi's sentencing was too light and had filed an appeal late last month.  The next round of court dates probably won't be until October.

The irony in all of this is that Nakagomi pleaded guilty on all charges in order to expedite the trial and get back to Japan as soon as possible (his family is going through some problems right now and he wanted to be with them).  Now it seems he won't be able to get back until after the second trial.

Games from the 2nd:

Mariners - Indians
Ichiro Suzuki started in right and batted first.  He went 2-for-4: infield single, double to right-center, strikeout swinging, strikeout swinging.

Count down to 200: 28 games remaining, 27 more hits needed.

Red Sox 6 - Orioles 4
Daisuke Matsuzaka started the game and gave up 4 runs over 5.2 innings of work for the win.  Matsuzaka is now 9-4 on the year.  Final line: 5.2 IP, 24 BF, 6 H, 6 SO, 1 BB, 4 R, 4 ER.

Matsuzaka also topped out at 96mph (about 154km/h).

Hideki Okajima entered the game in the 8th with 2 outs and the Red Sox up 6-4 and retired the one batter he was brought in to face. Final line: 0.1 IP, 1 BF, 0 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER.

Mets 4 - Braves 2
Hisanori Takahashi entered the game in the 9th, with the Mets up 4-2, and tossed a shutout inning in relief for his 3rd save of the year.  Final line: 1 IP, 4 BF, 1 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER.

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Kei Igawa started a triple-A game against the Buffalo Bisons on the 2nd and tossed 6.1 innings of shutout ball for his 3rd win of the year.  Igawa is now 3-4.  Final line: 94-65 NP-S, 25 BF, 6.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR.

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Kazuo Matsui went 1-for-4 with 2 runs scored and a strikeout against the triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on the 2nd.  Matsui started at second and batted first.

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Akinori Iwamura went 2-for-3 with 2 walks, a double, 2 runs scored, and a strikeout against the triple-A Louisville Bats on the 2nd.  Iwamura started at third and batted second.

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Seems there's a chance Hisanori Takahashi might be moving on to another team in order to secure a better chance at starting. (NY Times)

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Kento Tsujimoto tossed a shutout inning in relief (9th inning) against the Orange County Flyers on the 1st.  Final line: 3 BF, 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO.

According to a survey conducted by the Sasakawa Sports Foundation (taken once every two years), Ichiro Suzuki is the most liked sports figure in Japan (21.1% of all votes).  This marks the third time in a row that Ichiro has come out on top (2006, 2008, 2010).  He was also tops in all surveys split between the sexes and generations.

Figure-skater Mao Asada (8.9%) and golfer Ryo Ishikawa (8.5%) came in second and third place respectively.

Games from the 1st:

Angels 5 - Mariners 2
Hideki Matsui was the starting DH and batted seventh.  He went 1-for-2: walk, ground out to short, 2-run homer.

Ichiro Suzuki started in right and batted first.  He went 2-for-5: strikeout swinging, ground out to third, single to center, infield single, fly out to left.

Count down to 200: 29 games remaining, 29 more hits needed.

Cubs 5 - Pirates 3
Kosuke Fukudome started in right and batted third.  He went 3-for-3: walk, RBI double to left-center, single to center, double to left-center.

This was Fukudome's 23rd multi-hit game of the year.

Braves 4  - Mets 1
Hisanori Takahashi entered the game in the 8th, with the Mets down 4-1, and tossed a shutout inning in relief.  Final line: 1 IP, 4 BF, 0 H, 0 SO, 1 BB, 0 R, 0 ER.

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Kazuo Matsui went 1-for-6 with a double, a run scored, an RBI, and a strikeout against the triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on the 1st.  Matsui started at second and batted first.

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Akinori Iwamura went 0-for-4 against the triple-A Columbus Clippers on the 1st.  Iwamura started at third and batted second.

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It seems Kenshin Kawakami's next MLB start will be on the 3rd against the Marlins.  Derek Lowe was supposed to get that start but was scratched due to discomfort in his right elbow.

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Kento Tsujimoto entered the game in the top of the 6th with the bases loaded and 2 out against the Orange County Flyers on the 31st and got out of the jam with a strikeout.  That was the only batter he faced in the game.  Final line: 1 BF, 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO.

Games from the 31st:

Mariners 3 - Angels 1
Ichiro Suzuki started in right and batted first.  He went 2-for-5: fly out to left, infield single, infield single, fly out to left, ground out to short.  Ichiro also stole his 35th base of the year in the 5th inning.

Ichiro's first infield hit was also apparently his 500th infield hit.

Count down to 200: 30 games remaining, 31 more hits needed.

Hideki Matsui was the starting DH and batted fifth.  He went 0-for-2: line out to left, ground out to short, walk, walk.

Former Mariner Kazuhiro Sasaki threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Orioles 5 - Red Sox 2
Koji Uehara entered the game in the 8th, with the Orioles up 3-2 and a runner on first and one out, and picked up a save by getting the last 5 outs of the game.  Final line: 1.2 IP, 5 BF, 0 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER.

The save was Uehara's 5th of the season and 5th in a row.

Braves 9 - Mets 2
Ryota Igarashi entered the game in the 6th, with the Mets down 8-2, and gave up a run over 2 innings of work.  Final line: 2 IP, 9 BF, 2 H, 1 SO, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 ER.

Takashi Saito entered the game in the 8th, with the Braves down 9-2, and tossed a perfect inning in relief.  Final line: 1 IP, 3 BF, 0 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER.

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Kazuo Matsui went 1-for-4 with a run scored against the triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on the 31st.  Matsui started at second and batted first.

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Akinori Iwamura went 1-for-3 with a walk against the triple-A Columbus Clippers on the 31st.  Iwamura started at this and batted second.

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Junichi Tazawa (TJ surgery in April) worked out with the MLB team on the 31st.  Tazawa has been making good progress so far -- he started throwing on 8/2 (light catch) and has worked his way up to throwing at distances of about 20 meters (70 throws every other day).

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The Braves announced on the 31st that Kenshin Kawakami was optioned to Rookie Level Danville and would be recalled again on the 1st when rosters were expanded.

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Mac Suzuki started a game against the Chico Outlaws on the 31st and recorded his 2nd win of the year (he's now 2-2).  Suzuki gave up 6 runs (all earned) over 5 innings of work for the victory.  Final line: 94-49 NP-S, 25 BF, 5 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO.

Games from the 30th:

Angels 5 - Mariners 3
Hideki Matsui was the starting DH and batted fifth.  He went 1-for-2: walks, DP, 2-run homer, walk.

Ichiro Suzuki started in right and batted first.  He went 2-for-4: single to center, single to center, line out to short, ground out to second.  Ichiro also stole two bases and now has 34 on the year.

Count down to 200: 31 games remaining, 33 more hits needed.

Dodgers 3 - Phillies 0
Hiroki Kuroda started the game and had a no-hitter going into the 8th, but gave up a single to Shane Victorino with a runner on first and 1 out. Kuroda got the win and improved to 10-11 on the year. Final line: 7.2 IP, 26 BF, 1 H, 7 SO, 3 BB, 0 R, 0 ER.

Braves 9 - Mets 3
Ryota Igarashi entered the game in the 8th with the Mets down 9-3 and tossed a shutout inning in relief.  Final line: 1 IP, 3 BF, 1 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER.

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Kazuo Matsui went 1-for-5 with a strikeout against the triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on the 30th.  Matsui started at second and batted first.

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Akinori Iwamura went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, a run scored, two RBI, and a walk against the triple-A Columbus Clippers on the 30th.  Iwamura started at third and batted second.

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Kenshin Kawakami was recalled to the MLB roster on the 30th.  Seems Kawakami wasn't expecting the call-up and was a bit surprised because he thought the team was doing well.

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Sponichi sat down with Hideki Matsui for an interview and here are a few things that were revealed:

• Matsui has no interest in returning to Japan.  To be more specific, he doesn't think he can because of all the artificial turf being used in Japan (10 out of the 12 clubs use artificial turf).  He added that he probably wouldn't last a week at Ichi-gun because his knees would act up, even as a DH (his reasoning, DH's still need to run the bases).  So it isn't so much that he doesn't want to return to Japan, but rather that he doesn't think he can because of his knees.
• Regarding his knees: Matsui said that they were great shape and that he didn't go a day without making sure he received proper treatment.
• Regarding the current season: he hasn't really felt great this season and that between this year and last year, these have been the two most trying seasons for him (outside of the time he spent on the DL).
• Regarding the possibility of retirement: anything is possible, but retirement is not something he's going to think about during the middle of the season.

4,034 fans showed up to watch the Swing Smileys beat the Asto Dreams, 8-4, at Jingu Stadium yesterday.

For the Girls Professional Baseball League (GPBL), it was their second game in the Kanto region this year.  The 4,034 in attendance also turned out to the leagues' second largest draw of the year (behind the 5,027 they drew at Kyocera Dome on the 16th).

Official highlights from the game:

As reported yesterday, Eri Yoshida is having trouble with tightness in her right shoulder.  And now it seems the Chico Outlaws will indeed shut her down for the rest of the season (only 3 games remaining).

The injury doesn't appear to be serious, but the Outlaws don't want to take any chances.

Yoshida told reporters that she plans on attending the Winter Leagues in order to work on strengthening her body for the 2011 season.

YouTube Japan and the MLB have teamed up to bring fans living in Japan an MLB Baseball Channel.  Beginning August 30th, full-length video of games from the current season will be available for viewing within 36 hours of the last pitch.  Highlights from games featuring Japanese players (and general highlights from every game) and historically significant games from MLB history (like Randy Johnson's perfect game from 2004 and Hideo Nomo's first MLB start) will also be made available.