Takahiro Arai Criticizes Carp Catcher’s Pitch Selection After Costly First-Inning Home Run

Hiroshima Carp manager Takahiro Arai strongly criticized the pitch selection by catcher Takaki Ishihara after the Carp defeated the Hanshin Tigers 5–2 at Mazda Stadium on August 15.

The controversial moment came in the first inning with the game still scoreless. With one out and a runner on second, Hanshin slugger Shota Morishita came to the plate against Hiroshima starter Yuta Saito.

With the count at three balls and one strike, Ishihara called for an inside pitch. Saito delivered a fastball, and Morishita drove it into the left-field stands for a two-run home run.

Arai made it clear after the game that he did not believe the responsibility should be placed primarily on Saito.

Rather, he pointed directly at the pitch selection.

Arai said the catcher needed to reflect seriously on the decision, noting that the situation included a favorable wind blowing toward left field and that Morishita was already approaching the 30-home-run mark.

His criticism was particularly strong because he did not regard the decision as something that could simply be explained away as hindsight.

Arai emphasized that the issue was the pitch selection itself.

Despite falling behind 2–0 in the opening inning, Hiroshima quickly recovered. The Carp scored once in the bottom of the first before taking the lead in the third inning.

sakakura drove in the go-ahead run, while Yuta Saito settled down after the early home run and completed five innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs.

Hiroshima then extended its lead in the sixth inning when Wilyer Fabián launched a massive two-run home run, his 15th of the season.

The bullpen held Hanshin scoreless over the final four innings, with Takuma Hō, Yuki Moriura and others preserving the 5–2 victory.

The win gave Hiroshima consecutive victories over the league-leading Tigers and moved the Carp's record to 17 games below .500.

While the victory was important, Arai's comments highlighted an issue Hiroshima will need to address: preventing avoidable runs through better pitch selection, particularly against the league's most dangerous power hitters.

For a team attempting to climb back into the playoff race, minimizing these kinds of mistakes could become increasingly important as the season enters its final stretch.