◆ Pacific League Seibu 5-7 Nippon-Ham (30th, Belluna Dome)
Nippon-Ham The No. 4 Yuki Nomura infielder (24) hit a two-hitter 6 RBI to win three games in the season opener for the first time in 63 years since 1962, when he was with Toei Co. RBI Home Run The team's first three-game winning streak since 1962, when it was the Toei team, was 63 years old.
As if it were a replay, the ball landed in the left field again. In the fifth inning, with two outs and a runner on second, Nomura, the No. 4 hitter, hit his second two-run homer in two consecutive at-bats. "I'm feeling really good at the plate. I was able to hit it well with my reaction." He was greeted by manager Shinjo on the bench and burst into a smile. Including the first-inning doble, he hit two Home Run off Seibu 's Takahashi for his first career six RBI. He did his job as the No. 4 hitter and led the team to three wins in three games to start the season, the first time in 63 years.
Manager Shinjo's super-fast selection as the No. 4 batter woke Nomura up. At the Fan Festival on November 30th of last year, Nomura, who had a batting average of .210 and only two Home Run, declared that he would be the No. 4 batter for the opening game. He was guaranteed to play in the No. 4 position for the first 15 games. While it was up to him to keep or lose the position, he said, "There are reliable hitter around me and around me. I'm in the challenge slot," and produced the best results with a relaxed attitude.
Many of his classmates, including Mannami, Mizutani, and Tamiya, were active. He accepted the manager's expectations and introduced motion analysis, saying, "This is no good," and rebuilt his lower body-led form from scratch. He also decided to abstain from alcohol, and said, "I was able to spend my off-season with awareness," as he entered the camp.
Manager Shinjo has always said, "We don't need Home Run." The first one. The manager greeted him with a "X" mark. But the second one was a "O" pose. "It was such a beautiful (hit) that I'm sorry for giving it an X," the manager apologized profusely. "It's like the deadline is disappearing," he said, showing his growth rate that the deadline for the 15-game limited fourth batter role seems to be running out.
In the opening game, Kanemura, who was named as the opening pitcher on the same day as Nomura, shutout game. Manager Shinjo said half-jokingly, "It's scary how accurate (the selections) are. I should have named everyone," but his prediction that the unusually early selections would give players a sense of responsibility and awareness has turned out to be spot on. 63 years ago, the team won its first Japan Series after six straight wins at the start of the season. Now in his fourth year in charge, the Shinjo-Ham Fighters have been in full bloom since the start. (Haruki Kawakami)
◆Nomura Yuki Born June 26, 2000 in Michigan, USA. 24 years old. Both parents are Japanese, but he was born in the US due to his father's work, and his middle name is James. He moved to Gunma as a child. He started playing baseball in the second grade of elementary school, and played for Ota City Senior in junior high school. He played as the fourth batter for Hanasaki Tokuharu from the fall of his first year, and hit a total of 58 home runs in high school. He joined Nippon-Ham as the second pick in the 2018 draft. His family consists of his parents, older sister, and younger sister. He is 187 cm tall and weighs 95 kg. He bats and throws right-handed. His annual salary is 43 million yen.
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・ [Nippon-Ham] No. 4 No. Yuki Nomura hits his second home run in two consecutive at-bats, and manager Shinjo poses on the bench.
・ [Nippon-Ham] No. 4 No. Yuki Nomura hits his first three-run homer of the season, but manager Shinjo marks it with a cross on the bench
・ [Nippon-Ham] No. 4 hitter Yuki Nomura scores his first RBI, and the team is on track to win three games in three starts for the first time in 63 years
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