◆ Pacific League Softbank 4-7 Lotte (30th, Mizuho PayPay)

The laughter never stopped after the team's three consecutive come-from-behind win since the opening game. The Lotte players were in high spirits, high-fiving in front of the opposing team's bench. This was the first time in 13 years since 2012 that the team had won three games in a row at the start of the season, and they got off to a great start.

"There was one in the opening match, and I don't think you see something like that twice a year, so I guess there was a lot of frustration," Yoshii said, adding that the winning goal, which surprised even coach Yoshii, rolled in with a lucky rare play. With two outs in the eighth inning of a 4-4 tie, Sugiyama's fork was stopped by catcher Umino, but the ball got caught between his armor and his body. home-base umpire Fukaya allowed runner third base to score the winning run.

There were some concerns this season after Sasaki, who had 10 wins last season, moved to the Dodgers. However, the team gained momentum from the start of the season thanks to the efforts of Kimura, a second-year player who made his professional win as a relief pitcher and won, and Nishikawa (Aoyama Gakuin University), the first rookie to hit in three consecutive games to start the season, the first in seven years since Sugano in 2018.

Nishikawa, who hit a line drive to center field to tie the game at the top of the seventh inning, said confidently, "It was good that I got one (in the third game). I still have a lot to show." Ishikawa Shu, who transferred from Softbank as a free agent, is scheduled to start in the home opener Orix on April 1. The team will continue to win with fresh members. (Ami Shunsuke)

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