Yomiuri Giants

Tetsuya Yamaguchi set a new franchise record by extending his scoreless appearances streak to twenty-one games.  The previous franchise record of twenty was set by Yuya Kubo last season.

Hiroshima Carp

The managers and coaches met after tonight's 6-3 loss to the Softbank Hawks and decided to hold a meeting with players on Thursday.

Yokohama Bay Stars

Giancarlo Alvarado injured his left hamstring while trying to cover first base in the 1st inning of tonight's game against the Nippon Ham Fighters.  Alvarado told coaches he was ok, but he was removed from the game as a precaution.  The Bay Stars also decided to take him off the active roster so that he can focus on getting better.

Hiroshima Toyo Carp vs Fukuoka Softbank Hawks @ Yahoo Dome - 18:00
Announced Starters: Yuki Saito (HIR) 1-1, 2.25 - Nagisa Arakaki (SOF) 3-1, 4.91

Attendance: 36658 | Softbank leads series, 2-0-0 | Time: 2:51

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Hiroshima Toyo Carp vs Fukuoka Softbank Hawks @ Yahoo Dome - 18:00
Announced Starters: Bryan Bullington (HIR) 2-3, 2.61 - Hiroki Yamada (SOF) 4-3, 2.95

Attendance: 34494 | Softbank leads series, 1-0-0 | Time: 3:27

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Chunichi Dragons

Masahiro Yamamoto pitched well enough on Sunday to get at least one more start a Ichi-gun.

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A number of players, including Takeshi Yamasaki, visited two junior high schools in Yamamoto, Miyagi today.

Yakult Swallows

Tetsuto Yamada and Yuichi Matsumoto will likely be added to the active roster on Tuesday.

Yomiuri Giants

Tatsuya Hara spent about ten minutes working with John Bowker during pre-game practices on Sunday.

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Hirokazu Sawamura developed a cramp in his right leg during his start on Sunday.  He told reporters today that his leg was fine.

And speaking of Sawamura, his scoreless innings streak came to an end on Sunday at 33.2 innings.  Oh, and he also has not given up a homer since his first start of the season (a span of 52.2 innings, or 203 batters faced).

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Hayato Sakamoto's home run on Sunday hit a cameraman's notebook computer and shattered the display.  The ball also ricocheted off the computer and hit the cameraman in the right arm.

Hanshin Tigers

Shunsuke was taken off the active roster today for additional seasoning at Ni-gun.  Kohei Shibata will likely be called up and take over the spot left open by Shunsuke.

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Tomoaki Kanemoto worked out for about an hour at Koshien Stadium on his day off today.  Kanemoto has been a better hitter on the road this year.

Home: 12-for-62, 15 TB, 6 SO, 9 BB, .194/.296/.242
Road: 18-for-57, 22 TB, 12 SO, 6 BB, .316/.381/.386

Hiroshima Carp

Yoshiyuki Ishihara (left wrist) joined the Ichi-gun team for workouts at Mazda Stadium today.  Ishihara will be added to the active roster on Tuesday.

Yokohama Bay Stars

The Bay Stars filed a report on Alex Ramirez's home run that never was with the Central League office today.

Yakult Swallows

The Musashi Koyama Palm shopping district presented Shinya Miyamoto with points worth 66,666 yen at his 2,000 hit ceremony on Saturday.  Sankei Sports handed out 3,000 special edition papers to shoppers in the area.

Yomiuri Giants

Dicky Gonzalez (left oblique) threw seventy-two pitches in the bullpen today, his second session in as many days.  He told reporters that he was throwing at seventy to eighty percent and that he was satisfied with the results.  He also said he was feeling fine and that he was making quick progress.

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Tetsuya Yamaguchi is just one game away from tying the franchise record of twenty consecutive appearances without allowing a run.  The record was set by Yuya Kubo last season.

Hiroshima Carp

Kenjiro Nomura turned down requests for a post-game interview (first time this season) after today's 5-4 loss against the Nippon Ham Fighters.

Yokohama Bay Stars

Norihiro Nakamura became the thirty-eighth player to record 1,000 career runs scored today.  Before the start of today's game against the Chiba Lotte Marines, Nakamura sat at 999 career runs scored.  In his first at bat in the 1st inning, with a runner on second and one out, he hit a 3-1 slider from Yuki Karakawa over the left field fence for a two-run homer.

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters vs Hiroshima Toyo Carp @ Mazda Stadium - 14:00
Announced Starters: Masaru Takeda (HAM) 4-1, 1.47 - Kenta Maeda (HIR) 4-2, 1.96

Attendance: 31185 | Series tied, 1-1-0 | Time: 3:47

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Chunichi Dragons

Morimichi Takagi told reporters before workouts today that OF/base-running coach Yoshinori Ueda will be first base coach and INF/base-running coach Hiroyuki Watanabe the new third base coach.  That means OF/base-running coach Ken Hirano was essentially demoted to Ni-gun.

Said Takagi, "We are swapping out Hirano.  Watanabe will take over at third.  Ueda will be at first. ... I got pretty mad and I think that messed with [Hirano's] head a little.  He is beat a little mentally. This is my fault.  He will be back at first thing next month."

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Kazuki Yoshimi (left hamstring) could get to pitch in a Ni-gun game some time next week.

Yoshimi tossed nineteen pitches in the bullpen on Thursday and said to reporters on Friday, "I just need to get used to pitching in games again.  I think I will be ok in terms of stamina.  I would like to try and pitch in a game next week."

Yomiuri Giants

Taishi Ota (left hamstring) took fielding practice in the outfield today.

"There is no pain.  Things are progressing smoothly.  I do not want to push myself too hard," said Ota.

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Edgar Gonzalez took live batting practice against Ikusei pitchers Takefumi Miyamoto and Shogo Shibata today and went 2-for-4 with two walks.

Hiroshima Carp

Kenta Kurihara (right elbow) started his rehab program at the Ono training facilities today.  Kurihara had surgery on his right elbow on May 9 and was discharged from the hospital on Thursday.

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters vs Hiroshima Toyo Carp @ Mazda Stadium - 15:00
Announced Starters: Yuki Saito (HAM) 4-2, 2.58 - Yusuke Nomura (HIR) 2-3, 1.31

Attendance: 31803 | Hiroshima leads series, 1-0-0 | Time: 2:57

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Chunichi Dragons

Maximo Nelson could get his first Ichi-gun start of the season on May 22 (vs Rakuten).

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Morimichi Takagi decided that he will not swap third base coach Ken Hirano with first base coach Hiroyuki Watanabe.  It seems he also denied ever considering it.

Yakult Swallows

Kyohei Muranaka was removed from the active roster after he took a batted ball off his right shin during a game against Chunichi on May 9.  There is still no timetable for when he will be able to start throwing again.

Masanori Ishikawa took a batted ball off the base of his left pinky finger during Wednesday's game against Softbank and will likely miss one turn in the starting rotation (May 22 vs Lotte at QVC).

Yomiuri Giants

Toshiya Sugiuchi picked up his first multi-hit game of his pro career on Thursday night (2-for-2).  He also notched his nineteenth career Inter-league victory (19-7).

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Hayato Sakamoto recorded his fifteen Inter-league homer on Thursday.  According to Sponichi, the Giants are 8-1 when Sakamoto hits a homer at Tokyo Dome during Inter-league play.  On the road, the team is 2-2-1 (includes a two homer game).

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Michihiro Ogasawara wore cleats during practice on Thursday for the first time since he strained his left hamstring.  Workouts took place indoors and included running and playing catch.

Hanshin Tigers

Craig Brazell took part in early workouts today.  He is currently struggling at the plate: he has one hit, a double, in his last sixteen trips to the plate.  Brazell is also doing better on the road than at home:

Home: 8-for-58, 1 HR, 13 TB, .138/.194/.224
Road: 16-for-63, 3 HR, 30 TB, .252/.299/.476 

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Akira Iwamoto started a Ni-gun game against Chunichi on Thursday and recorded his first victory since turning pro.  Final line: 6 IP, 113 NP, 25 BF, 4 H, 1 HR, 8 SO, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 1 R, 1 ER.

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Yuya Ando will likely be taken off the active roster today because he is not scheduled to pitch within the next ten days -- his next start could come on May 28 against Seibu.

Hiroshima Carp

Takaya Kawauchi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchihara were added to the seventy man roster today.

Yokohama Bay Stars

According to Sponichi, the Bay Stars are currently on pace to lose eighty-eight games this year.  Sponichi also points out that the ten shutout losses in the first thirty-six games of the season is the second quickest in NPB history since the Taiyo Whales recorded ten shutouts in their first thirty games of the 1958 season.

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Wrestler Keiji Muto visited Yokohama Stadium on Thursday and met with Kiyoshi Nakahata and Daisuke Miura before the game.

Tonight's game between the Rakuten Eagles and Hiroshima Carp at Mazda Stadium.

Bottom of the 2nd inning with runners on first and second and no out.

Shota Dobayashi up to bat for Hiroshima.  Kelvin Jimenez on the mound for Rakuten.

1-2 pitch...

Jimenez was ejected from the game for throwing a dangerous pitch.  Dobayashi was replaced by pinch-runner Shogo Kimura.  Jimenez is the first PL pitcher (fourth overall) to be ejected for throwing a dangerous pitch this season

Dobayashi was taken to a hospital and his tests came back negative.  He told reporters he was ok (he actually wanted to continue playing but Kenjiro Nomura erred on the side of caution and pulled him from the game) and that he planned to attend practices on Friday.  As of now, Dobayashi is expected to play in Saturday's game against Nippon Ham.