Chapter 147

Short Summary
Having lost the third game against the Lycaons, the Mariners’ players get into a fight. After several more matches, the Lycaons get the gap down to 1.5 games between them and the Mariners.

Long Summary
After Brooklyn’s third double play Kira yells at him, calling him an ‘infield grounder machine.’ He tells him it’s ridiculous he’s even in the first string and he should go back to the minors.

Kira pitches in the 8th inning and despite five safe hits only gives up one run. Tokuchi consecutively strikes out the Mariners’ batters. Their inability to get a hit, plus Tokuchi’s lies to the media, put the Mariners players in bad spirits and they sit in the dugout in cold silence. When Kira screws up while fielding, the audience all boo. Kira starts shouting back at them but Amami warns him not to get irritated. With Tokuchi’s ‘poison’ having spread around the whole team, the Mariners lose 0-2.

In the locker room, Kira tells Brooklyn he’s the reason they lost today. Other players get angry with Kira and point out the Lycaons’ Imai got a hit off him. Kira yells at them to shut up and the whole team get into a physical fight.

Chairman Tanabe is told about the results of the match. The gap between the Lycaons and Mariners is now four games. Tanabe gets angry that the team he predicted to win are being threatened by a ‘puny’ team like the Lycaons.

The Mariners play against the Eagles next and win two of their games out of three. Meanwhile the Lycaons win all three of their games against the Fingers. Against the Blue Mars, the Mariners win one, lose one and tie another, while the Lycaons again win all three of theirs. The difference is now only 1.5 games. The Lycaons celebrate their 13 consecutive wins in the locker room, but Tokuchi tells them not to loosen up. He says the Mariners aren’t a team that’ll let it end like this.

At the Mariners stadium, Takami is practising batting with Coach Muraguchi. Takami announces he has it, “down perfect. A method to handle Tokuchi.” With his new technique Takami claims they can now defeat Tokuchi and the Lycaons.