Hiroshima Carp vs Seibu Lions @ Seibu Dome - 18:00
Starters: Nomura, Yusuke (HIR) 1-2, 3.60 - Nogami, Ryoma (SEI) 3-2, 2.70

Hiroshima Carp vs Seibu Lions @ Seibu Dome - 18:00
Starters: Otake, Kan (HIR) 4-1, 1.71 - Makita, Kazuhisa (SEI) 4-2, 1.95

Attendance: 17202 | Time: 3h19m | Hiroshima leads series, 1-0-0

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Yomiuri Giants

The Giants suffered their 100th Inter-league loss on Monday.

Source: Sanspo 5/21/2013

Chunichi Dragons

On Monday, at forty-years and eleven months, Kazuhiro Wada became the oldest player in franchise history to hit a grand slam.  The previous franchise record of thirty-eight years and five months was set by Hiromitsu Ochiai in 1992.

Source: Sponichi 5/20/2013, Sponichi 5/20/2013

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Hector Luna extended his hitting streak to twenty-one games on Monday.  The franchise record of twenty-five games was set by Michio Nishizawa in 1949.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/20/2013

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Jesus Colome joined the Ichi-gun team for practices at Hotto Motto Kobe on Tuesday.  He tossed a bullpen session in front of the coaches (Kohei Oda was the catcher).

"[Colome] was ok today.  He also throws pitches that are different from Japanese pitchers.  It will be more than fine if he can pitch one inning," said Morimichi Takagi.

The Dragons will make a final decision on Colome after they receive the results from his drug test later this month.

Source: Sanspo 5/21/2013, Sponichi 5/21/2013

Yakult Swallows

Chris Leroux pitched in a Ni-gun game against Nippon Ham on Tuesday and gave up a run on five hits over three innings of work.  This was his first outing at Ni-gun since signing with the Swallows.  He is expected to pitch in as least one more Ni-gun game.

Source: Sanspo 5/21/2013

Hiroshima Carp

Fred Lewis was issued a stern warning and a 100,000 yen fine by the commissioner's office on Tuesday.  Lewis was ejected from a game on Monday after vehemently arguing a strike call during his at bat in the 4th inning.

Source: Sports Hochi 5/21/2013

Hanshin Tigers

1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami started an Ikusei game against a mixed Shikoku Island League plus team on Tuesday at Naruohama.  He gave up three runs on five hits over three innings of work.  He struck out five and topped out at 151km/h.  This was his first outing since he started an Ichi-gun game on the 5th against Yakult at Koshien.  Assuming no problems, Fujinami will likely make his next start at Ichi-gun on the 26th against Nippon Ham at Koshien.

Source: Daily Sports 5/21/2013, Sanspo 5/21/2013

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5th round draft pick Kazuyuki Kaneda relieved Fujinami on Tuesday and tossed two shutout inning while allowing two hits.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/21/2013

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GM Katsuhiro Nakamura admitted the team was interested in Blaine Boyer and that they were close to finalizing a deal with him.  An announcement could be made soon.

Source: Daily Sports 5/21/2013, Sanspo 5/21/2013

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Tsuyoshi Nishioka may have tweaked his left calf while playing defense on Monday (either in the 4th or 6th inning).

Source: Sanspo 5/21/2013, Nikkan Sports 5/21/2013

Nishioka ended workouts early on Tuesday as a precaution.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/21/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

The Bay Stars will likely start Kai-Wen Cheng and 3rd round draft pick Shoichi Ino against the Softbank Hawks at YafuOku Dome (May 22-23).

Hiroshima Carp vs Chiba Lotte Marines @ QVC Marine Field - 18:15
Starters: Maeda, Kenta (HIR) 4-1, 0.64 - Nishino, Yuji (LOT) 4-1, 2.53

Attendance: 11938 | Time: 3h14m | Lotte leads series, 2-0-0

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Hiroshima Carp vs Chiba Lotte Marines @ QVC Marine Field - 17:00
Starters: Nakamura, Kyohei (HIR) 1-1, 3.63 - Omine, Yuta (LOT) 1-1, 3.97

Attendance: 26387 | Time: 2h48m | Lotte leads series, 1-0-0

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Orix Buffaloes vs Hiroshima Carp @ Mazda Stadium - 13:30
Starters: Kaneko, Chihiro (ORI) 3-3, 2.35 - Bullington, Bryan (HIR) 2-3, 2.06

Attendance: 21519 | Time: 3h0m | Series tied, 1-1-0

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Orix Buffaloes vs Hiroshima Carp @ Kure Stadium - 18:00
Starters: Kaida, Tomoyuki (ORI) 1-3, 3.60 - Nomura, Yusuke (HIR) 0-2, 5.06

Attendance: 13094 | Time: 2h44m | Hiroshima leads series, 1-0-0

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Yomiuri Giants

Ryosuke Miyaguni started a Ni-gun game against Yokohama today.  He gave up ten runs on thirteen hits over 3.1 innings of work.  The game was called early due to rain.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013, Sanspo 5/16/2013

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Hisayoshi Chono became the first right fielder in franchise history to throw out a runner at first on Wednesday since Ming-Soo Ro in 1988.

With the bases loaded and two out in the 2nd inning against Lotte, Seth Greisinger hit a single to right, Chono charged and quickly fired the ball to first for the out.  Before the play, Chono told Jose Lopez to expect a throw on a hit to right.  The two also started talking about a possible play at first about two weeks ago.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

Chunichi Dragons

At forty-seven years and nine months, Masahiro Yamamoto became the oldest pitcher to record an Inter-league game on Wednesday.  The previous record, set by Kimiyasu Kudo in 2009, was forty-six years and zero months.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013

Yamamoto has won thirty-six games since turning forty and is now two shy of tying Kudo's record for most victories after turning forty.  He is currently in a second place tie with Tadashi Wakabayashi.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

Yakult Swallows

Takeaki Tokuyama gave up a lead-off home run to Seibu Lion Hideto Asamura on Wednesday and became the sixty-third pitcher in NPB history to give up a home run to the first batter they faced.  Three players in franchise history -- Midori Nakagawa (1950), Hiroshi Kamizuru (1976), and Yataro Sakamoto (2002) -- have also given up home runs to the first batters they faced, but Tokuyama is the first to surrender a lead-off home run in the 1st inning.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

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2nd round draft pick Yasuhiro Ogawa turned twenty-three today.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013

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Asuka Kuramochi (AKB48 member) is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on the 18th (vs Lotte at Jingu).

Source: Daily SPorts 5/16/2013

Hiroshima Carp

Kenjiro Nomura watched today's Ni-gun game against Chunichi today and checked on players like Nick Stavinoha and Kenta Kurihara.  Stavinoha collected three hits in the game, including a home run, and could be a candidate to make the active roster as a DH for PL games.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013

Hanshin Tigers

The Tigers are reportedly looking for a power-pitching, right-handed reliever on the foreign market.

Source: Nikkan Sports 5/16/2013

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Daiki Enokida's next start will likely come on the 22nd against Lotte.

Source: Daily Sports 5/16/2013

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1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami's threw twenty pitches in the bullpen today.  It was his first session since he was removed from the active roster on the 11th.

Source: Sponichi 5/16/2013

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GM Katsuhiro Nakamura on Brooks Conrad's status with the team: "I do not think the team will have a need for [Conrad] unless he can get big hits with runners in scoring position or can show some major progress."

Through Wednesday: 14 G, 12-for-49, 13 SO, 8 BB, .245/.373/.306

Source: Sanspo 5/16/2013

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The Entertainment and Communications division at Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, which includes the Hanshin Tigers, recorded about 108.6B yen in operating revenue (up 6.29B over last year) and 12.58B yen in operating profit (up 2.44B over last year).

Source: Sanspo 5/16/2013, Sports Hochi 5/16/2013

Yokohama Bay Stars

The commissioner's office issued Kiyoshi Nakahata a stern warning and a 400,000 yen fine for his ejection from Wednesday's game against Rakuten.

Source: Daily Sports 5/16/2013

Nakahata lost his brother to colon cancer on Wednesday.  He may have let his emotions get the best of him when he argued the safe call at third base in the 6th inning.

Source: Daily Sports 5/16/2013, Sports Hochi 5/16/2013

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Mobage will be releasing a high school baseball simulator titled Eikan-e no Kiseki (栄冠へのキセキ).  Early sign-ups are eligible to earn a special player modeled after Hideki Matsui.

Source: Daily Sports 5/16/2013

Softbank Hawks vs Hiroshima Carp @ Mazda Stadium - 18:00
Starters: Terahara, Hayato (SOF) 1-2, 4.66 - Otake, Kan (HIR) 3-1, 2.04

Attendance: 18733 | Time: 3h0m | Hiroshima leads series, 2-0-0

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Softbank Hawks vs Hiroshima Carp @ Mazda Stadium - 18:00
Starters: Oba, Shota (SOF) 0-1, 2.84 - Maeda, Kenta (HIR) 3-1, 0.51

Attendance: 18131 | Time: 3h35m | Hiroshima leads series, 1-0-0

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