Yanagi Yuya (Chunichi Dragons) achieved a no-hitter in 9 innings. But he never became a winning pitcher.
Yanagi started the match against the 2023 Nippon Professional Baseball Hiroshima Toyo Carp held at the Vantelin Dome in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan on the 13th, and pitched 3 runs and 5 strikeouts during 9 innings without conceding any runs or hits.
In the first inning,안전놀이터 Yanagi was in danger. Hiroshima lead batter Kaito Kozono went to second base due to Ryuk’s throwing error. He handled Takayoshi Noma with a bum hit, but put out Takashi Uemoto with a hit ball to the body. However, in the situation of the first runner on first and second base, Nishikawa Ryoma overcame the crisis by inducing a double stroke.
Yanagi, who overcame the crisis at the beginning of the game, immediately found a sense of stability. He did not let a runner on base until the sixth inning. He faced 15 batters and struck out three. He allowed a walk to leadoff batter Norma in the top of the 7th inning. Following this, he faced a first out and second base crisis due to Uemoto’s base hit. However, he struck out Nishikawa and set him back up. After that, he caught Ryosuke Kikuchi on a shortstop fly ball and did not concede.
After blocking the top of the 8th inning with a tripartite, Yanagi came back to the mound in the top of the 9th. He handled lead hitter pinch hitter Kosuke Tanaka with a ground ball to second baseman. He then turned Kozono into a shortstop floating ball. After getting two outs, he allowed a walk to Norma, but caught Uemoto on a fly ball to center field. It was the moment when 9 innings no hit no run was born. However, the Chunichi lineup also failed to attack the Hiroshima mound. In the end, the regular innings ended 0-0. The match went into overtime.
Chunichi did not raise Yanagi in the top of the 10th inning. Foreign pitcher Martinez took the mound. Yanagi was unfortunately unable to record a no-hit, no-run victory.
After getting two outs, Martinez allowed a one-run home run to Shota Dobayashi. However, at the end of the 10th inning, Chunichi’s thrilling turnaround came out. The new pitcher, Yasaki Takuya, succeeded in capturing. Takaya Ishikawa, who came out as the lead batter, hit a home run to tie the game. Usami Shingo then hit a back-to-back walk-off home run, ending with a 2-1 victory for Chunichi.
After the game, coach Tatsunami Kazuyoshi Chunichi said, “I hope that the batting team will definitely feel that Yanagi did not win.” He said, “Please connect (by scoring) next time.”
Regarding not being on the mound in the 10th inning, he said, “There was Martinez. You shouldn’t make bad predictions, but I thought, ‘Would it continue into the next inning?’
Yanagi said, “This is the first no-hit, no-run in my life. He didn’t think it would be attainable. I am grateful to the coach,” he said. “The support of the fans was my strength. Thank you. (No hit, no run) I will challenge the next opportunity.”