Orix Buffaloes manager Mamoru Kishida (44) declared on the 31st that overcoming his "hawk allergy" is an absolute requirement for reclaiming the championship. In 2013, when they finished third, their record against Softbank Hawks was 7 wins, 16 losses, and 2 ties, the only losing record against any team in the Pacific League. They suffered 12 consecutive losses (including 2 ties) from September 13th of 2012 into the following year, and were beaten by 13.5 games, allowing SoftBank to win the championship. "Everyone (other teams) is going into the game aiming to defeat Softbank Hawks. We don't want to be left behind," he said, showing his strong determination.

"The balance (of pitching and hitting) is at a high level." They have given up four wins to Arihara (who transferred to Nippon-Ham in 2014), a team they have struggled against in the past, and three wins to Uwasawa. It will not be easy to overcome left-handed pitchers such as Moinelo and Ozeki, but they started to see a way to win in the four-game away series at Mizuho PayPay Dome starting on September 20th. A total of 16 relief pitchers have fought hard, and they have won all four games by a single run. If they can establish a low-scoring game plan from the start of the season, revenge is possible.

"We aim to beat all the teams," he said, aiming for a perfect victory for the first time in 23 years. Beyond the bitter "double payback" lies a joyous autumn. (Nambu Shunta)