◆ Nippon Life Insurance Central vs. Pacific League Interleague Play 2025 Hanshin Tigers 1X-0 Orix = 10 innings extra inning = (6th, Koshien)

Orix infielder Hirooka Taishi explained the play for which he was warned. With neither team scoring in the ninth inning, with no outs, he made contact with shortstop Obata Ryuhei as he slid to second base as a runner on first base on a grounder by Ryoma Nishikawa. interference, and hitter runner Nishikawa was also called out.

After the game, Hirooka said, "With the second baseman golo in front of me and the irregularity (bounce) on the dirt ground, one of the first technical things is that I didn't know what was going to happen. If (throw) it missed, I also looked at it so that I could go to third base right away, and when I saw second baseman, I also got a little deflated. Obata was also at the very edge and it looks like he went there, but I was running with the mindset that if anything happened to him, he would go to third base. I didn't do it intentionally at all," he said, explaining in detail the situation and his feelings during the game. I was playing second base, so I know that you can't do that kind of thing. In fact, I had no intention of doing so (intentionally double play breaking up the game)," he said, stressing that the incident was an act of force majeure that occurred after both sides had done everything they could.

Manager Mamoru Kishida explained the reason for substituting Hirooka during defense immediately after the game, saying, "The opponent's (Obata) knee got into (Hirooka's) side, and he couldn't breathe." Hirooka himself said, "I'm fine. I'm more worried about hitting Ishii," thinking of the opposing right-handed pitcher whose head was hit directly by his line drive in the previous at-bat, with a solemn expression on his face.

Related News

・ [Photo] Contact with Obata! Sliding to second base resulted in a "warning"
・ [Hanshin Tigers] Manager Fujikawa Kyuji shows concern for Hirooka, who interference "It was painful and I was trying to avoid the sliding," just before the ball hit Ishii in the head.
・ [Hanshin Tigers] Manager Koji Fujikawa explains that Daichi Ishii, who was rushed to the hospital, "is conscious and clear. Just to be on the safe side, we're taking him to the hospital for a CT scan."
・ [Orix] Manager Mamoru Kishida emphasizes that Hirooka Taishi, who was substituted during the game, is safe: "I think he'll be able to play tomorrow."
・ [Hanshin Tigers] Ryuhei Obata on Orix 's Hirooka's "interference": "I was just trying to throw normally when he hit me"