Hanshin Tigers Prepare for Key Series Against Giants
Listen to the story
The Hanshin Tigers are getting ready for an important three-game series against the Yomiuri Giants.
The games will be played at Koshien Stadium, which is Hanshin's home ground.
Hanshin currently holds first place in the league standings.
Because of this, the series is being described as a battle for the top position.
Winning could even help Hanshin light up their championship magic number.
One key player to watch is Seishiro Sakamoto, who has performed well throughout August.
Sakamoto usually bats in the lower order of the lineup.
Reports suggest that when he records more RBIs, Hanshin's winning percentage tends to rise.
This makes his performance in the series especially important.
On the pitching side, Koya Saiki is likely to start on August 30.
If Saiki wins that game, he will tie a long-standing record.
The record is for 11 straight wins against the Giants, a mark once set by Hiroshi Gondo.
Fans are expecting the series to be very exciting.
It has been a while since the Giants last played at Koshien Stadium.
Both the Tigers' pitching and the performance of players like Sakamoto could decide the outcome.
Vocabulary7 words
- Giants
- another baseball team, from Yomiuri
- Koshien Stadium
- the home baseball park of the Hanshin Tigers
- first place
- the top position in a league
- championship magic number
- a number that shows how close a team is to winning the title
- lower order
- the later batting positions in a lineup
- RBIs
- runs a batter helps score
- winning percentage
- the rate of games a team wins
Quiz
Answer key
1. It is a battle for first place 2. His RBIs are linked to a higher winning percentage 3. 11 consecutive wins against the Giants
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Hanshin Tigers are getting ready for an important three-game series against the Yomiuri _____.
The games will be played at Koshien _____, which is Hanshin's home ground.
Hanshin currently holds first _____ in the league standings.
Winning could even help Hanshin light up their championship _____ number.
One key player to watch is Seishiro Sakamoto, who has performed well throughout _____.
Sakamoto usually bats in the lower _____ of the lineup.
Reports suggest that when he records more _____, Hanshin's winning percentage tends to rise.
On the pitching side, Koya Saiki is likely to _____ on August 30.
If Saiki wins that game, he will tie a long-standing _____.
The record is for 11 straight wins against the Giants, a mark once set by Hiroshi _____.
Discussion questions
- Why might a series between first-place rivals attract more attention than usual?
- How important do you think lower-order hitters are in baseball compared to top hitters?
- What does it mean for a team to be close to a 'magic number' for the championship?
- Do you think matching an old record adds extra pressure on a pitcher? Why or why not?