The Hanshin Tigers, currently in second place, have racked up a league-high 309 strikeouts this season. They have recorded double-digit strikeouts in four consecutive games (totaling 56) — 17 against Chunichi on May 6, 16 against DeNA on May 8, 12 against the same team on May 9, and 11 on May 10. The team’s worst stretch of consecutive games with at least 10 strikeouts is five, set twice before: from August 21, 2014 (11, 12, 10, 10, 13) and from June 10, 2015 (10, 13, 10, 11, 10). If the Tigers record double-digit strikeouts again in their May 12 game against Yakult, they will match that undesirable franchise record.
In their only previous meeting this season, Yakult’s starter Yoshimura held Hanshin to just two strikeouts over five innings. Can the Tigers avoid another double-digit whiff total?
**Other NPB Games on May 12:**
☆ Yomiuri Giants vs. Hiroshima Carp (18:00, Gifu) — Giants: Togo, Carp: Tokoda
☆ DeNA BayStars vs. Chunichi Dragons (18:00, Yokohama) — BayStars: Azuma, Dragons: Kanemaru
☆ Rakuten Eagles vs. Orix Buffaloes (18:00, Hirosaki) — Eagles: Shoji, Buffaloes: Kuri
☆ Chiba Lotte Marines vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (18:00, ZOZO Marine) — Marines: Jackson, Fighters: Ito
☆ SoftBank Hawks vs. Saitama Seibu Lions (18:00, Mizuho PayPay Dome) — Hawks: Matsumoto Haru, Lions: Watanabe
(Note: Matchups listed with start time, venue, and probable pitchers in order.)
