62 pitches in one inning…first call-up in two years to the big leagues, 8 hits, 4 walks, 5 strikeouts, 10 runs against 16 batters, nightmare return for Junichi lefty Gondo.
A baseball game between the Junichi Dragons and the Yokohama BayStars at Banterin Dome in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on May 25. Junichi Dragons left-handed pitcher Ren Kondo (25) takes the mound as the fourth pitcher in the top of the ninth inning. Trailing 2-8, he pitched his first first-team game of the season.
The game was already decided. He faced a whopping 16 batters before getting three outs. In one inning, he gave up 10 runs (eight earned) on eight hits and four walks. His ERA is 72.00.
It was a shaky start.
He gave up a leadoff single to Keita Sano in the third inning. A 142-kilometer-per-hour fastball was driven high in the strike zone. He then gave up a single to No. 4 Shugo Maki.
However, center fielder Yuki Okabayashi deflected the ball behind the plate. Isai sprinted home from first, rounding second and third. 2-9. With the bases loaded, he gave up an RBI double to No. 5 Neftali Soto.
2-10.
It looked like this inning was going to be over soon until I got #6 Yamato to ground out to the second baseman and #7 Hikaru Ito to strike out swinging.
But then came the second out of the inning. No. 8 Tatsuhiro Shibata walked on an eight-pitch count.
Sent. 21 pitches.
With runners on first and third, Yokohama batters hit Gondo’s pitches like they were batting balls. Scored eight runs on five hits and drew three walks and a wild pitch. Ten batters reached base in a row.
Gondo ended a long, long inning by getting Yudai Yamamoto, No. 9, to ground out to shortstop with the bases loaded and two outs.
The Chunichi bench remained motionless while he struggled and gave up the big run. The game was already out of reach and the bullpen could not be used up.
Signed as a developmental player in 2021. In his first year, he appeared in two games and pitched two innings. Last season, he didn’t make the first team mound. In his second year with the team, he had a grueling first day. 메이저놀이터
On the day, Gondo threw a total of 62 pitches. That’s tied for the second-most pitches in a single inning in history. The most pitches in a single inning in Nippon Professional Baseball is 64. It was set by Hanshin Tigers left-hander Makoto Yoshino on April 7, 2004, against Yokohama.
The 2-18 loss was his second seven-game losing streak of the season. In 112 games, he has 41 wins, 3 losses, and 68 ties.