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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Japan Times: Fighters come alive in Japan Series

Good, this one won’t be a sweep, at least, as the Fighters win Game Three of the Japan Series.

What are the odds that two ex-teammates from the same American high school would end up as starting pitchers opposing each other in the Japan Series?

Starter Brian Wolfe earned the win for Nippon Ham and came out on top of the pitching matchup with former Servite High School (Anaheim, California) teammate D.J. Houlton. Wolfe allowed two runs on five hits over five innings, striking out three, walking three and hitting a batter.

“Wolfe gave us five good innings,” Kuriyama said. “He pitched well, and I will not hesitate to use him again later in the series.”

Houlton failed to make it out of the third, giving up five runs on five hits over 2⅔ innings.

vortex of dissipation Posted: October 31, 2012 at 05:12 AM | 12 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: high school, japan

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1. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: October 31, 2012 at 12:23 PM (#4289250)

* Obligatory comment about how Nippon Ham owns the team and they are not "Ham Fighters." *

2. morineko Posted: October 31, 2012 at 12:35 PM (#4289265)

Odds about the same at teammates at the same Japanese high school ending up on the same World Series team? (Tateyama and Uehara in 2011)

3. Bob T Posted: October 31, 2012 at 12:37 PM (#4289267)

The Fighters tied the series with a 1-0 win in 12 innings in Game 4.

If the Fighters hadn't scored in the bottom of the 12th, the game would have ended 0-0.

4. Steve Parris, Je t'aime Posted: October 31, 2012 at 01:15 PM (#4289298)

There's no tying in baseball!

5. winnipegwhip Posted: October 31, 2012 at 01:33 PM (#4289314)

Obligatory comment about how Nippon Ham owns the team and they are not "Ham Fighters."

Although I wish the same misconception would happen with the Western Hockey League's "Moose Jaw Warriors." Being called a "Jaw Warrior" would sound pretty cool for hockey.

6. Gamingboy Posted: October 31, 2012 at 03:00 PM (#4289403)

Down with Yomiuri, go Nippon Ham!

7. Mirabelli Dictu (Chris McClinch) Posted: October 31, 2012 at 03:01 PM (#4289405)

I've known they're not the Ham Fighters for the better part of a decade thanks to this site, but there's still a not insignificant part of me that wishes they were. A world with a professional sports team called the Ham Fighters is more awesome than one without it.

8. jack the seal clubber (on the sidelines of life) Posted: October 31, 2012 at 03:10 PM (#4289410)

The Ham Fighters got to this series by knocking off the Hiroshima Turkey Wrestlers and their arch rival, the Osaka Baloney Stranglers.

9. Slivers of Maranville (SdeB) Posted: October 31, 2012 at 04:39 PM (#4289489)

Rejected U.S. Franchise names:

Minute Maid Wranglers

Chase Bank Raiders

Hebrew National Guards

Quicken Loan Sharks

Country Time Servers

10. Good cripple hitter Posted: October 31, 2012 at 05:32 PM (#4289531)

Starter Brian Wolfe earned the win for Nippon Ham and came out on top of the pitching matchup with former Servite High School (Anaheim, California) teammate D.J. Houlton. Wolfe allowed two runs on five hits over five innings, striking out three, walking three and hitting a batter.

I had an irrational like of Brian Wolfe when he was with the Jays, so it's good to see him winning games in Japan.

Wow, I just looked it up. He went 10-9 with an ERA of 2.66. I'd like to see him get back to an MLB team, but hopefully he at least has a good career in Japan.

11. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: October 31, 2012 at 05:41 PM (#4289542)

Rejected U.S. Franchise names:

Chris Berman, is that you?

12. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish Posted: October 31, 2012 at 05:50 PM (#4289548)

The Fighters are doomed! They can't score! They don't belong in the Series! Fire the manager!

*ahem* Sorry.

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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Japan Times: Fighters come alive in Japan Series

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