[NPB NOTEBOOK] Ryuhei Matsuyama Comes Through in the Clutch for Hiroshima Carp

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It's still early in the 2024 NPB season but already there have been plenty of thrills. On Thursday, April 4, the Hiroshima Carp staged a dramatic comeback against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium.

With the Swallows leading 3-0 after six innings, the hometown Carp scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to chase starter Keiji Takahashi.

But the real drama came in the bottom of the eighth.

Takashi Uemoto hit a single to right off Yakult reliever Noboru Shimizu that tied the game 3-3.

With two out and runners at first and third, veteran pinch hitter Ryuhei Matsuyama came off the bench and connected for a double to right that scored two more runs to give the Carp a 5-3 lead.

Masaya Yano then plated another run to complete the thrilling 6-3 comeback.

Shota Nakazaki worked a scoreless eighth for the win and Ryoji Kuribayashi retired the side in the ninth for the save to send the fans home happy.

Hiroshima improved to three wins and two losses and was just a half game behind the front-running Yokohama DeNA BayStars in the Central League standings (as of April 4).

The best part of Thursday's win was seeing 38-year-old veteran Matsuyama come through with a big clutch hit. Few things in baseball are as satisfying for a manager than to see a pinch hitter come through in a situation like that.

Ryuhei Matsuyama: a Hiroshima Carp Fan Favorite

Matsuyama, a native of Soo City, Kagoshima, has spent his entire 15-year career with Hiroshima. With his trademark tinted goggles, he's a fan favorite.

The left-handed batter played outfield for the Carp but is used now primarily as a pinch-hitter. His best season was in 2017 when he hit 14 homers and had 77 RBIs, both career highs.

Thursday's clutch hit was his first in five at-bats this season and allowed the Carp to win their third straight game after losing the first two of the season to the BayStars.

"I wasn't able to produce in my previous at-bats so I was very happy to come through and contribute to the win," said Matsuyama. "It was a total team effort tonight."

It's always great to see the veterans come through in big situations like that and, in an age where players jump from team to team, it's refreshing to see a player spend his entire career with one team.

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