Sports · Baseball · 1 hr ago
Lions Give Up Run After Failed Defense Against Fake Bunt
Seibu lost 4-1 to Nippon-Ham on October 12 in the third game of the Climax Series first stage, at Belluna Dome.
In the seventh inning, with one out and a Nippon-Ham runner on third, batter Shū Yamagata showed a bunt.
Seibu pitcher Hibiki Shinohara rushed to throw the ball away from the batter, but catcher Taiga Kojima could not catch it.
The runner, Tatsuki Mizuno, scored on the wild pitch, extending Nippon-Ham’s lead to 4-1.
Former player and analyst Akihiko Ōya said Seibu’s young battery should have been ready for a possible squeeze bunt, in which the batter bunts as a runner breaks for home.
He said they could have used a planned pitch-out rather than reacting in a hurry.
The game was part of the first-stage playoff series, and Ōya said the young players would need experience but should prepare for such situations.
The Seibu Lions conceded a run after a failed attempt to defend against a fake bunt in a 4-1 loss to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
The play came in the seventh inning, with one out and a runner on third.
Fighters batter Shū Yamagata showed bunt, prompting Lions pitcher Hibiki Shinohara to throw outside, but catcher Taiga Kojima could not catch the ball.
The runner, Tatsuki Mizuno, scored on the wild pitch.
Baseball commentator Akihiko Ohya said the Lions battery had not prepared adequately for a possible squeeze play.
- Who
- The Seibu Lions and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Lions pitcher Hibiki Shinohara and catcher Taiga Kojima were involved in the play.
- What
- The Lions conceded a run on a wild pitch after reacting to a fake bunt.
- When
- October 12, during the seventh inning.
- Where
- Belluna Dome.
- Why
- The catcher could not catch Shinohara’s throw outside after Yamagata showed bunt. Akihiko Ohya said the Lions battery had not prepared for a possible squeeze play.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
With one out and a runner on third, Shū Yamagata showed bunt, Shinohara threw outside, and Mizuno scored when Kojima could not catch the ball.
Akihiko Ohya discussed the play on Fuji TV ONE’s Pro Yakyu News 2026.
- Final score
- Seibu Lions 1, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 4
- Game
- Central League Climax Series First Stage, Game 3
- Inning
- Seventh, one out
- Batter
- Shū Yamagata
- Runner who scored
- Tatsuki Mizuno
- Venue
- Belluna Dome
What people are saying
They panicked; in this situation, they had to be thinking about a squeeze play. The catcher couldn’t get to it, and there are various ways to defend against the first pitch, but they had no preparation at all.
This is a situation where a squeeze play is possible. That’s what they first needed to be alert to.
Sources
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