Kyohei Muranaka Just Misses No Hitter

News

Kyohei Muranaka Just Misses No Hitter

Jiwon Bang
05/06/08

Kyohei Muranaka (Waikiki BeachBoys, 2007) of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows flirted with a no hitter on May 3 against the Yomiuri Giants. In his sixth start of the season, the 21-year-old lefty kept the Giants hitless until the ninth inning, but he finally gave up a double to HWB alumnus Yoshiyuki Kamei (Honolulu Sharks, 2006).

Muranaka gave up two runs after that, however, and ended up losing the game despite his solid 8 2/3 innings on the mound.

Muranaka walked just three batters through eight innings against the Giants' dangerous lineup. With both teams scoreless in the ninth, Muranaka gave up the double to Kamei. He could not hold on to finish the inning, as he allowed a two-run double to pinch hitter Noriyoshi Ohmichi. This resulted in Muranaka's third loss (2-3) of the season.

In Hawaii, Muranaka who competed well against young minor league prospects, compiled an impressive 3-1 record with two saves in 10 appearances, and posted a 2.00 ERA and 44 strikeouts.

Other Japanese alumni from 2007 who were called up in a last few weeks are: BeachBoys pitcher Kenichi Matsuoka (Swallows), Sharks reliever Katsuyuki Aihara (Chiba Lotte Marines), and Sharks outfielders Takumi Kobe (Marines) and Fuminori Yokogawa (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles). Kobe and Yokogawa, who each made Major League debuts on May 5, recorded their first career hits, and finished 2 for 4.