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

Third-place Nippon-Ham clawed their way back from the brink to become the first team in Pacific League history to advance past the Climax Series (CS) First Stage for three consecutive years. At the moment of the win, Manager Shinjo stepped out of the dugout and raised both hands to celebrate the victory.

In the battle against the second-place Seibu Lions with the series tied at one win and one loss, they took the lead in the second inning with an RBI hit by Nomura for the second consecutive game. In the fourth inning, Mannami added to the score by hitting his first Home Run of the series, saying it was a good additional run. In the fifth inning, they continued to pile up points with a sacrifice fly to right field by Narama.

Ito, who started the game, returned to the mound after going to the dugout due to an accident in the third inning. Despite facing a second accident in the fifth inning when a batted ball hit his left leg, he managed to get through five innings with only one runs allowed before leaving the game. He reflected, "I was able to pitch while maintaining high concentration. I do have some regrets about wanting to pitch for a few more inning, though."

From the sixth inning onwards, the relay of pitchers kept the opponent scoreless, and in the seventh inning, they extended their lead with a run following an opponent's wild pitch. Although they lost the first game on the 10th with a walk-off defeat in the 10th extra inning, they secured two consecutive victories from that point on and won their ticket to Fukuoka, where the Softbank Hawks await.