Baseball / Japanese Baseball | NPB NOTEBOOK Jun 20, 2022
NPB experiencing surge of no-hitters
by Jason Coskrey
With four no-hitters and a couple of near misses already this season, it's possible there is more misery on the horizon for NPB hitters.
Japanese Baseball Nov 25, 2021
How the Swallows' Masanori Ishikawa, 41, turned back the clock to stifle the Buffaloes
by Jason Coskrey
As the saying goes, “you’re only as old as you feel.” On Wednesday night, the Swallows' long-time starter proved that to be true.
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | The week in NPB Oct 5, 2020
Dragons trying to blaze path to A-Class finish in Central League
by Jason Coskrey
It's been a long time since there were Chunichi Dragons games worth getting excited about this late in a season. Here we are though, with every Central League team with fewer than 31 games left to play and Chunichi sitting fourth in the standings — ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Aug 14, 2019
Swallows put on show at plate while Masanori Ishikawa dominates on mound against BayStars
Tetsuto Yamada and Keiji Obiki both bagged three-run homers in the first inning, opening the floodgates as the Tokyo Yakult Swallows blew away the Yokohama BayStars 15-2 in the Central League on Wednesday. With their offense clicking into gear from the outset, the last-place Swallows ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Jun 12, 2018
Swallows' Masanori Ishikawa tames Lions en route to 160th career win
Left-hander Masanori Ishikawa pitched six-plus innings Tuesday to help the Tokyo Yakult Swallows defeat the Pacific League-leading Seibu Lions 3-1 and extend their interleague lead. In front of 17,088 at Omiya Park Baseball Stadium, Ishikawa (4-2) gave up a run on three hits and a ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball May 4, 2017
Fukudome's hot bat sends Tigers past Swallows again
by Jason Coskrey
There were fireworks the last time the Hanshin Tigers' Shintaro Fujinami pitched against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Emotions weren't running quite as high on Thursday afternoon, but the Tigers' batters did their best to run up the score. Masahiro Nakatani and Kosuke Fukudome homered during a ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Apr 21, 2017
Tokyo Yakult Swallows ace Masanori Ishikawa allowed just a run in seven innings on Friday in a 3-1 win over the Hiroshima Carp, who lost their third straight game. Ishikawa (2-1) gave up six hits, five of them singles, and a walk, while striking out ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Sep 14, 2016
Ace Masanori Ishikawa allowed three hits over 7⅔ scoreless innings as the Tokyo Yakult Swallows held off the Yokohama BayStars in a 3-2 Central League win on Wednesday. Ishikawa (7-8) walked one and struck out three, and closer Ryo Akiyoshi allowed two runs in the ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Mar 26, 2016
Cruz, Chono carry Giants past Swallows
by Jason Coskrey
Luis Cruz thought he had a home run in his first game in a Yomiuri Giants uniform, but had to settle for a double following a replay review. He didn't leave any doubts this time. Cruz connected on a three-run home run, Hisayoshi Chono added a ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | NPB NOTEBOOK Feb 21, 2016
Swallows' veteran pitcher Ishikawa no automatic out in batter's box
by Jason Coskrey
Shohei Otani turned heads with his bat during the first portion of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters' spring camp in Peoria, Arizona. While Otani's pitching is what scouts turn up to see, he's pretty good with a bat and is a capable right fielder ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Oct 3, 2015
Ishikawa savors resilient Swallows' rise from cellar to CL champions
by Jason Coskrey
Masanori Ishikawa was soaked in beer from head to toe. The white Central League Champions T-shirt clung to the veteran Tokyo Yakult Swallows pitcher as he shuffled onto the makeshift stage in center field after the Swallows' pennant-clinching 11-inning 2-1 victory over the Hanshin ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | HIT AND RUN Sep 28, 2015
Swallows can see finish line as race for pennant nears end
by Jason Coskrey
Before the 2015 NPB season, Nippon Television commentator Suguru Egawa, a former Yomiuri Giants pitcher, named the Tokyo Yakult Swallows as his pick to win the Central League pennant. Egawa has always been somewhat of an iconoclast, but picking a team breaking in a new ...