Fans Speak / Gary Garland

The Japnese Insider - Japanese data archive, daily game summaries and box scores. Original analysis. Links to the Japanese sites in English.

How often have Japanese-born pitchers received a win AND a save in the same game?

M. A. Jones wrote:

On April 14 [2002], Shigetoshi Hasegawa got the win and Kazuhiro Sasaki the save when Seattle beat Texas 9-7. On April 15 [2002], Kazu got the win and Shige the save when Seattle won 13-11 in 10 innings.

1) How often have Japanese-born pitchers received a win AND a save in the same game?

2) Has it ever been done two days in a row before?

Gary Garland's Response

Hello!

According to the Japanese press, Sasaki saving it for Hasegawa was the first time in history that Japanese had gotten a win and a save in the same game.

Of course, in Japan, it happens all the time. Though it also happens a lot that an American closer saves a game for an American pitcher or a Japanese pitcher or that an American closer saves it for an American starter.

There was one instance in Japan where THE SAME PITCHER got both a win and a save. They later changed the rules so that this could not happen again, but here is how it went down:

Naoki Takahashi of Nippon Ham was throwing a game against the Kintetsu Buffaloes on July 12, 1974. He had a 2-0 count to Clarence Jones with two out in the sixth and a man on first. So Nippon Ham's manager came out and did a double switch, sending Takahashi to third base and bringing in a lefty named Nakahara to finish the at bat with Jones. Nakahara got Jones to end the inning. When the seventh convened, Takahashi took the mound again and finished the game, which Nippon Ham won 2-1, which fulfilled the criteria for a save.

Now a pitcher who is credited with a win can no longer earn a save after the rules were revived and thus this is a one of a kind occurrence.

As for how often it has happened where a Japanese pitcher has gotten a win and a countryman has gotten a save in the same game in the majors I think the instances you brought up are the only instances it has occured. I have to admit, though, it's not something I keep track of.

Take care,

Gary Garland

http://www.BaseballGuru.com

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