This is from the live-reaction thread for the Giants–Hanshin game at Koshien Stadium on October 1, 2026. Hanshin starter Shoki Murakami was handed chance after chance by the Giants’ lineup — bases loaded with no outs, then runners on first and third with no outs — but worked out of both jams without allowing a run. The thread filled with a mix of astonishment and despair, with posts like “everyone’s grinding out at-bats” and “getting shut down by Murakami is just pathetic.” This marks Murakami’s 8th start against the Giants already this season, and some posters jokingly pointed to Hanshin manager Kyuji Fujikawa’s “grudge” against the Giants, as frustration grew over the Giants’ lineup falling silent against a sharp pitcher.
Central League pennant race standings (as of September 30)
9AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:33
Former Chunichi manager Shigekazu Mori weighs in on the possibility of Masumi Kuwata becoming Chunichi's next manager: "If you're really going to change things…"
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/47c4e68fc6c39c92c309bb4319176eec6adf563d
10AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:33
Everyone's grinding out at-bats
Even Richard managed to battle it out, so maybe Murakami's not that sharp today
11AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:33
Murakami's low pitches are all balls — why do they keep swinging at them?
14AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:35
Murakami doesn't get hit, but lately he's the one getting worn down and pulled around the 5th inning
17AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:36
He got into a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the first inning, yet he's only thrown 22 pitches (fans shorthand that situation as "noman")
32AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:40
Guess "Chin" (derisive 5ch nickname for Hanshin) really was just off last time
47AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:43
The Giants' play right now is way too dumb lol
48AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:43
Only "our army" (Giants fans' self-deprecating nickname for their own team) would get hit around this easily by Hanshin's bottom order
53AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:44
HERE IT COMES━━━━(ᵒ∀ᵒ)━━━━!!
65AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:46
A MIRACLE━━━━(ᵒ∀ᵒ)━━━━!!
69AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:46
ZERO━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━!!
72AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:46
Fizzled out again, Chin lolololololol
76AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:46
Bases loaded, no outs, no runs
Runners on first and third, no outs, no runs
77AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:46
If the Giants are still this helpless against Hanshin next year too, there's no way they win the pennant
87AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:49
This is already Murakami's 8th start against the Giants this season
Fujikawa's grudge against the Giants is next level
98AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:53
Re: #87
If anything, it's a favor from Fujikawa — no way the same opponent gets stonewalled this badly by coincidence
104AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:54
Starts against the Giants
8 — Murakami
7 — Kanamaru
7 — Tamamura
6 — Ohno
6 — Saiki
6 — Yamano
106AnonymousOct 1, 2026 18:55
Re: #104
Yamano's starting tomorrow, so that number's probably going up
153AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:01
They should just be patient and work the count
163AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:01
Re: #153
Everything from the 5-hole down is garbage
A scoreless game looks all but certain
166AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:02
Giants go three-up-three-down while Hanshin gets a runner in scoring position every single inning?
179AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:03
Re: #166
Now that's an interesting game
171AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:02
His arm's stronger than Hirayama's or Sasahara's, right?
182AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:03
Re: #171
Both of them would probably just uncork a wild throw lol
174AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:02
An intense tug-of-war over who 'earns' the right to be humiliated by SoftBank (i.e., represent the Central League in the Japan Series)
184AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:03
Re: #174
They'll just hand that 'honor' off to the BayStars anyway
208AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:08
I think a home run's coming (doing my Amatsu Kimura impression — a comedian known for his cheesy prediction bits)
209AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:08
Re: #208
Seriously?!
271AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:17
Janpa's unreal
281AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:17
Re: #271
Totally whiffed on that prediction lol
315AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:20
If it were Hara managing, he'd probably send in a pinch hitter here
323AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:21
Re: #315
Yeah, that kind of move could work at this point
367AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:28
Getting shut down by Murakami is just pathetic
371AnonymousOct 1, 2026 19:29
Re: #367
And yet, zero runs allowed lol
Background and Key Points
Played on September 30 amid the stretch run of the Central League pennant race, this game saw the Giants stymied by the pinpoint control of Hanshin starter Shoki Murakami. Posters noted this was already his 8th start against the Giants this season, underscoring just how lopsided the matchup has become. The remark about Hanshin manager Kyuji Fujikawa’s “grudge against the Giants” is a tongue-in-cheek fan theory rooted in his playing days facing the Giants’ lineup — not evidence of any real feud. The Giants put runners in scoring position twice, with the bases loaded and no outs and again with runners on first and third and no outs, but came away scoreless both times, drawing plenty of complaints about the lower order’s lack of support alongside praise for the pitching staff that kept the damage off the board. Whether to blame the sluggish offense or credit the strong pitching became the thread’s central point of debate.
*This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary from the 5ch (Hello!Pro board) thread “Giants Acting Manager 158.”
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