◆ SMBC Japan Series 2025 Game 3: Hanshin Tigers 1-2 Softbank (28th, Koshien)
Softbank won back-to-back games in the second round to improve to 2-1 after a close match at Koshien in hostile territory.
Moinelo, starting for the first time in this series, allowed the first run in the first inning when Sato Teru hit doble timely double over the right field fence with two outs and a runner on first base, but in the fourth inning, Yamakawa's second solo home run to center field tied the game.
Then in the sixth inning, Yanagita singled to right hit, Yanagimachi hit a timely triple down the right field line off Hanshin Tigers 's starting pitcher, Saiki, giving the team a 2-1 lead.
Moinelo threw 108 pitches in the sixth inning, allowing four hit, two Walk, one runs, and four strike out to protect the lead before being replaced. Fujii, the second reliever to pitch in the seventh inning, faced a runner on third base with one out, but got out of struck out by striking out Chikamoto and Nakano in succession.
In the 8th inning, Downs Walk led off the inning with a double and scored from second bases loaded, but Kurihara was unable to score as Hanshin Tigers and Iwasaki were hit by pitches closer. Yutaka Matsumoto, who came on to pitch immediately after that, got Oyama to Hit by Pitch and Shimada to right hit with two outs, but got Sakamoto to ground out to third.
In the ninth inning, closer Sugiyama prevented Hanshin Tigers from making a comeback, winning Game 3. Starting with Game 1, ●〇〇 has won the Japan Series 15 times out of the past 20 times. They also won Game 4 on the 29th, securing three straight wins and putting them in a commanding position.
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