The Nippon Ham Fighters secured their second three-game winning streak of the season on May 12 at ZOZO Marine Stadium, edging out the Chiba Lotte Marines 3-2. Despite taking an early two-run lead, the Fighters struggled to add insurance runs and allowed a run due to an error, making for a frustrating and tightly contested game. After the match, manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo, 54, addressed the media in a Q&A session.
**Q: On missing a squeeze bunt opportunity in the third inning:**
“We really wanted (Yazawa) to get that squeeze bunt down with one out and runners on first and third right after taking the lead. That run would have been huge. There were mistakes, mistakes, and more mistakes… I felt like my blood vessels were about to burst. But hey, a win is a win.”
**Q: On swapping the No. 2 and No. 6 hitters for the first time in a while:**
“Yazawa’s been picking up, and Gunji’s still not quite there. So I figured I’d drop him down a spot just to see how it goes. That’s all.”
**Q: On starter Ito allowing a run after two outs in the sixth inning:**
“Starting from his first at-bat, I had a feeling he was going to get hit today. And sure enough, he did. But we still won, didn’t we?”
**Q: On Mizuno stealing on the first pitch in the eighth inning:**
“When a pitcher lifts his leg that high, you’ve got to make him run on the first pitch. Mizuno’s fast—he’s safe about 95% of the time. We went for it. His start was a bit late, but he still made it. Then Tamura came through with a sacrifice bunt. I was hoping Castro could get a sacrifice fly with one out and a runner on third.”
**Q: On Seiya Yamakawa getting his final at-bat:**
“Asama’s walk was huge. Without it, Yamakawa’s hit wouldn’t have happened. But if we keep winning like this, the hitters will naturally get their rhythm back. We’ll start seeing games where we build a lead and the pitchers shut them down.”
**Q: Does a three-game winning streak feel like gaining momentum?**
“No, it takes more than 10 to really get rolling. Once you hit 10, then we’re talking.”
**Q: On winning three straight on the road:**
“That doesn’t matter much. At Es Con Field, there’s a winning vibe. But now that we’ve moved past the Kyocera Dome nightmare, it’s a little easier. And there was no wind today.”
