Hawks' Nobuhiro Matsuda receives seventh straight Golden Glove
It's awards season in Japanese baseball and just like at the end of the actual season, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are front and center. Four players from the recently crowned three-time defending Japan Series champions, the most of any team, were recognized on Thursday when ...
'Mood-maker' Matsuda lifting Hawks' spirits
Nobuhiro Matsuda, the lively and exuberant soul who plays third base for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, is often referred to as the team's "mood-maker." You can remember the game is supposed to be fun as Matsuda hops around on one leg in the batter's box, ...
Rei Takahashi, HRs give Hawks 2-0 lead on Giants in Japan Series
Nobuhiro Matsuda raised his fist in triumph in front of the dugout as he and over 30,000 fans shook Yafuoku Dome with a spirited yell of "atsuo," the custom in Fukuoka whenever Matsuda goes deep. Matsuda spun around while hopping on one leg as six ...
Five relievers combined to allow a run over five innings and Nobuhiro Matsuda drove in four runs as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series' final stage 8-4 over the Saitama Seibu Lions on Wednesday. The win evened the ...
Stars switching numbers, changing names becoming staple of NPB offseasons
Offseasons in NPB are about change, just not exactly the type that immediately springs to mind. Japanese baseball has seen some big-name players change teams this winter. Two-time reigning Central League MVP Yoshihiro Maru is suiting up for the Yomiuri Giants next season and All-Star ...
Three players from the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, who won their second straight Japan Series last weekend, were among the Golden Glove winners announced Thursday by Nippon Professional Baseball. Catcher Takuya Kai, third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda and outfielder Yuki Yanagita were named as the recipients at ...
Left-hander Ariel Miranda pitched seven strong innings and Nobuhiro Matsuda blasted two home runs on Saturday as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks came from behind to beat the Pacific-League leading Seibu Lions 3-1. The Hawks snapped the Lions' winning streak at 12 and delayed Seibu's pennant ...
Ariel Miranda loses no-hit bid in ninth, improves to 2-0 with Hawks
Former Seattle Mariners lefty Ariel Miranda did not allow a hit until the ninth inning, and Nobuhiro Matsuda homered twice to lead the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks to a 5-1 victory over the Seibu Lions on Saturday. Miranda (2-0), pitching in his second game for the ...
Kenta Imamiya equalized early and later drove in the go-ahead runs that sparked a ninth-inning charge as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks rallied for an 8-4 win over the Orix Buffaloes. Making his third career start, SoftBank rookie Kotaro Otake retired his first two batters at ...
PL ends scoreless tie in fifth, wraps up two-game NPB All-Star Series sweep
The Pacific League completed a two-game sweep of the NPB All-Star Series with a 5-1 win over the Central League on Saturday night. While both teams scored early in the PL's 7-6 win Friday at Kyocera Dome, the 13,760 spectators at Kumamoto Fujisakidai Stadium did ...
Shuta Ishikawa tames Lions as SoftBank stops Seibu's winning streak
Shuta Ishikawa held Japan's most potent offense to one run over eight innings in the SoftBank Hawks' 4-1 win over the Pacific League-leading Seibu Lions on Thursday. Having scored nine or more runs in their five previous games, all wins, the Hawks turned the starting ...
Hawks infielders Nobuhiro Matsuda and Kenta Imamiya headline Golden Glove Awards
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks had the golden touch during the regular season, postseason and Japan Series. So it should be no surprise nothing has changed now that awards season is here. With third baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda and shortstop Kenta Imamiya leading the way, the Hawks led ...
