[Orix] Seven consecutive away wins since the start of the season, manager Kishida thanks starter Alen Kuri for pitching eight runs innings, "He helped the team"

Sports Hochi

2025.4.12(土) 20:48

８回無失点で２勝目を挙げた九里亜蓮（右から２人目）は岸田護監督（同３人目）とハイタッチ（カメラ・竹松　明季）

◆ Pacific League Rakuten 2-4 Orix (12th, Rakuten Mobile Park)

Orix The Yankees won their seventh straight win in hostile territory since the season opener with a comfortable victory over the Rakuten. Kuri, a first-year FA starter from Hiroshima, pitched 8 innings of 6 hit no runs and 9 strike out pitches to pick up his second win of the season. Manager Kishida commented, "Kuri's style of pitching, in which he pitches with tenacity and gets better and better as he goes along, was on full display. He was really great at pitching, getting outs where he could get them.

Before the game, Machado, who had pitched in seven games, the most in the league, was off the bench that day. While reliever pitchers were working at full capacity, Kuri pitched the entire eighth inning, and the manager expressed his gratitude, saying, "It really helped us out. We helped the relief pitchers and the team." He went on to explain, "I wanted to shutout game him out, but he had a lot of pitches, so we had to replace him. After all, if he gets injured, that would be the worst thing, so we're taking a long-term view here."

The batting line had 10 hit 4 runs, hit the second consecutive game with double-digit hits and the ninth time in the first 13 games. With new foreign player Diaz also hitting a timely hit, the positive cycle continues. "Each individual player is maintaining good condition. No matter who is in what batting order or what the situation is, they are producing results with their high level of concentration, mindset and awareness to play their role well," he said.