My Book Ⅰ
Written by Hiroyuki Ikeda
[ No.16 ] Tigers have a special God 5.14, 2013
Last Wed., May 8, there was an exiting baseball game between the Hanshin Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants. The next morning’s paper had a column like this.
Finally Victory Hit !
The Tigers have a special God ( God of the Tigers ) on their team! …Shinjiro Hiyama! Finally the ‘God in a pinch ’, S. Hiyama, settled the game.
<The Giants 2, The Hanshin Tigers 3>
This season’s first hit for the "God of pinch hitters", S. Hiyama, became the game-winning hit that completed the 3-game winning streak against the Giants in Tokyo. It was the 12th inning ( extra inning )and 2-to-2, with 2 outs and a man on first. Pinch hitter, S.Hiyama, 43, appeared and he hit a timely double to right wing line ( first base line ). After 12 at-bats, the veteran's great experience paid off in the brank of time. The Gaints lead shrank to 2.5 games by this victory in the enemy territory of Tokyo Dome.
Can he hit back the ball of a big 150 km pitch like that of S.Matheson of the Giants? First pitch-foul, second-foul ,,,. The face of the veteran became like the devil. Shit! The ball didn’t fly to the front but he tried to make a lucky hit to the front. The real drama began from one ball two strikes. At first, Hiyama didn't notice that Tagami, the runner on first base, had already run and Hiyama hit the ball. ”Beyond the head of the first baseman, the batted ball that was slammed strongly bounded to the right-wing line ( first base line ). I’ve done my first hit of this year! I thought we would have runners on 2nd and 3rd base, but oh my God, winning runner Tagami ran to home plate ! I was fortunate to have the best possible scenario! It was a dramaticand exciting ending. S.Hiyama raised both hands up high on the keystone sack.
Since the 23rd of August of last year , there has been no at-bat hits with Hiyama and of course he had no hits until now in May of this year. He endured painful pressure without even breaking a sweat. Whether there is one chance at-bat in a game, he suffered with no hits. He probably had become doubtful of own swing sometimes. But he was not overwhelmed by it. This season,after home games at Koshien, S.Hiyama did not come off the diamond until after every player was pulled to the clubhouse. He was practicing his swing .
For 238 days he may have felt lost sometimes, but he believed in himself until the end and continued swinging his bat. This season of S.Hiyama, God of pinch hitters, kicked off in the best possible way.
From Nikkan Sports , May 8, 2013
Hanshin Tigers : http://hanshintigers.jp/
注
○ タイガースが延長12回（最終回）に代打桧山が勝ち越し2塁打を放つ
○ タイガースが東京ドーム（敵地）でのジャイアンツ3連戦3連勝は6年ぶり
○ 桧山は今季10度目の代打起用で初安打、初打点となり、V打は2年ぶり
