[pauwoo]

For the majority of the season, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have been ranked at #2 each week on the power rankings, they’ve been solid or better for the entire season, and, at least in the JPL, are easily our fiercest competition. Today, they pulled off something that I’d have said was impossible, especially given the way we’ve been putting it down lately, as they managed to secure a home sweep against us during a 3-game set where they required extra-inning victories in two of them to do it. After destroying us in the first game by a score of 8-0, the Hawks went on to burn us on consecutive, extra-inning, walk-offs to send us back to Seattle a somber, and less cocksure, version of our former selves.

The Hawks have closed the gap on us now… their total points in the weekly power ranking are 116.1 to our 117.7, and they find themselves a scant 2 games off our pace.

It’ll be a tough 10.5-hour flight followed by six straight in our park against the Chiba Lotte Marines and Orix Buffaloes. It’ll be a good opportunity to right the ship as we’ve performed well against these clubs so far.