2004 ALL STAR GAMES

July 10 Nagoya Dome (34971 audience)
The Dragons Kosuke Fukudome, batted off an RBI from the Buffaloes Hisashi Iwakuma. But Hawks' Nobihiko Matsunaka tied the game with a home run off the Dragons Masa Yamamoto. Kenji Jojima, and Julio Zuleta, all representing the Hawks homered too. In the 9th inning, the Buffaloes, Norihiro Nakamura blasted a great big home run. The Pacific League side won 6 to 3. The Lions Daisuke Matsuzaka who struck out 4 was named the game's Most Valuable Player.
Michiyo's Note:
Will this be the last all star game where we'll see players in the Kintetsu Buffaloes uniforms? And will this be the last time the Pacific League will play against the Central League? Such emotional thoughts were certainly shared by many fans and even players, as the Buffaloes merging with the BlueWave, and the Lions, perhaps merging with some other team seem to be paving the way a for a one league pro baseball.

July 11 Nagano (26963 audience)
In the 3rd inning, an amazing thing happened. The Fighters Tsuyoshi Shinjo stole home. In the 5th inning, he doubled and eventually came home too. In the 6th inning, the Central League side at last scored. It was with a homer run by the Giants Yoshinobu Takahashi. The BayStars Kazuhiro Sasaki pitched an inning. The Pacific League won 2 to 1. Shinjo was awarded the Most Valuable Player.

Fans' top picks
Central League Pacific League
PitcherKoji Uehara (Giants) Hisashi Iwakuma (Buffaloes)
Catcher Shinnosuke Abe (Giants) Kenji Johjima (Hawks)
First baseman George Arias (Tigers)Nobuhiko Matsunaka (Hawks)
2nd baseman Makoto Imaoka (Tigers) Tadahito Iguchi (Hawks)
3rd baseman Hiroki Kokubo (Giants) Michihiro Ogasawara (Fighters)
Shortstop Tomohiro Nioka (Giants) Munenori Kawasaki (Hawks)
Outfielder Tuffy Rhode (Buffaloes)
Tomoaki Kanemoto (Tigers)
Yoshinobu Takahashi (Giants)
Tsuyoshi Shinjo (Fighters)
Yoshitomo Tani (BlueWave)
Kazuhiro Wada (Lions)




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