46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo shakes hands with the club's acting manager Tomio Tashiro at Yokohama Stadium on May 25. The 46-year-old lefty took his first win since September 2007 retiring three batters in the last and ninth inning of a game against the Rakuten Eagles in his club's 6-5 come-from-behind victory.

Yokohama's acting manager Tashiro fails to make victory debut

Yokohama's acting manager Tashiro fails to make victory debut

CHIBA, Japan - Tomio Tashiro, acting manager of the Yokohama BayStars, tells home plate umpire the name of a relief pitcher in the sixth inning of his first game in charge after replacing effectively sacked Akihiko Oya at Chiba Marine Stadium on May 19. Tashiro's debut as manager saw the BayStars beaten by the Lotte Marines 1-2.

Tashiro replaces Yokohama manager Oya

Tashiro replaces Yokohama manager Oya

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars manager Akihiko Oya speaks to reporters at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama on May 18 after being replaced by farm team manager Tomio Tashiro following a string of disappointing results. Yokohama team president Kuniaki Sasaki said that Oya is being ''rested,'' but the 61-year-old appears to have effectively been sacked.

Tashiro replaces Yokohama manager Oya

Tashiro replaces Yokohama manager Oya

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars' farm team manager Tomio Tashiro speaks at a news conference in Yokohama on May 18 after the Central League baseball club announced that the team's manager Akihiko Oya has been replaced by him after a string of disappointing results. Yokohama team president Kuniaki Sasaki told a news conference that Oya is being ''rested,'' but the 61-year-old appears to have effectively been sacked.

Tashiro replaces Yokohama manager Oya

Tashiro replaces Yokohama manager Oya

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars' farm team manager Tomio Tashiro speaks at a news conference in Yokohama on May 18 after the Central League baseball club announced that the team's manager Akihiko Oya has been replaced by him after a string of disappointing results. Yokohama team president Kuniaki Sasaki told a news conference that Oya is being ''rested,'' but the 61-year-old appears to have effectively been sacked. (Kyodo)

Tashiro replaces Yokohama manager Oya

Tashiro replaces Yokohama manager Oya

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars manager Akihiko Oya speaks to reporters at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama on May 18 after being replaced by farm team manager Tomio Tashiro following a string of disappointing results. Yokohama team president Kuniaki Sasaki said that Oya is being ''rested,'' but the 61-year-old appears to have effectively been sacked. (Kyodo)

Yokohama's acting manager Tashiro fails to make victory debut

Yokohama's acting manager Tashiro fails to make victory debut

CHIBA, Japan - Tomio Tashiro, acting manager of the Yokohama BayStars, tells home plate umpire the name of a relief pitcher in the sixth inning of his first game in charge after replacing effectively sacked Akihiko Oya at Chiba Marine Stadium on May 19. Tashiro's debut as manager saw the BayStars beaten by the Lotte Marines 1-2. (Kyodo)

46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo shakes hands with the club's acting manager Tomio Tashiro at Yokohama Stadium on May 25. The 46-year-old lefty took his first win since September 2007 retiring three batters in the last and ninth inning of a game against the Rakuten Eagles in his club's 6-5 come-from-behind victory. (Kyodo)