2026 PERSOL Climax Series Pacific League First Stage Game 3: Seibu Lions 1-4 Nippon-Ham (12th, Belluna Dome)

Third-place Nippon-Ham won consecutive games against second-place Seibu Lions, coming back from a 0-1 deficit to secure their third consecutive appearance in the Final Stage. Despite suffering a walk-off loss in the first game, they demonstrated resilience by winning two straight games on the road starting from the second game.

In the end, they pushed through with sheer power. They took the lead in the second inning with a timely hit by Nomura, who had also hit the game-winner in the second game, followed by a massive solo home run by Mannami in the fourth. They added another run in the fifth with a sacrifice fly by Narama. Although the lead was cut to one run in the bottom of that inning, they secured the victory by scoring a fourth run on a wild pitch in the seventh.

The starting ace Ito had to return to the bench twice during the game, in the third and fifth innings, due to accidents, but he pitched with great determination. He held the opponent to one runs over five innings, and the relief pitchers maintained the lead to secure the victory.

After two consecutive close games—a walk-off loss in the first game and a 1-0 victory to even the series in the second—they secured a complete victory in the third game with a steady performance. The Softbank Hawks have advanced to the final stage with a two-win advantage.

After the game, Manager Shinjo commented on Ito's condition. He revealed, '(In the third inning) when he went to cover first base, he hurt his lower back a bit. That was his back.' In the fifth inning, a batted ball hit his left leg, and the manager 'explained,' 'Then, the pitcher-returned ball hit his leg. So, I think his back got better.' He added a joke, saying, 'Usually, humans can only perceive pain in one place at a time. It balanced out and actually worked out well,' while applauding the ace's determination.

In the Central League first baseman stage, the third-place DeNA won consecutive games against the second-place The Giants. Although there was a five-game gap during the regular season, they demonstrated their strength in short-term decisive battles. With this, the third-place teams in both the Central and Pacific Leagues have achieved an upset to advance. The matchups for the Final Stage starting on the 14th have been set as Softbank Hawks-Nippon-Ham and Hanshin Tigers-DeNA. Both leagues feature the same matchups as in 2025, marking the first time in history that the CS Final Stage matchups for both the Central and Pacific Leagues have been the same for two consecutive years.