2026 Persol Climax Series Pacific League Final Stage Game 1: Softbank Hawks 6-4 Nippon-Ham (14th, Mizuho PayPay)

The first game of the '2026 Persol Climax Series Pa' Final Stage was held, and the Softbank Hawks, who won the league title for three consecutive years, came from behind to defeat third-place Nippon-Ham. In an unexpected turn of events, starter Moinelo left the mound after giving up 3 runs in the middle of the third inning, but in the fourth inning, trailing by two points, the team took advantage of opponent errors to score five runs at once. Including the advantage, their record now stands at 3 wins. Nippon-Ham suffered from a series of mistakes and now needs 5 wins in the remaining maximum of 6 games to advance to the Japan Series.

Manager Kokubo rushed out of the dugout without hesitation. With two outs and the bases loaded in the third inning, Moinelo, who was the MVP of last season's CS Final Stage, gave up a third run on a bases-loaded Walk to Mizuno, prompting the manager to make a swift decision to pull him. 'It was his worst performance of the year. Even if he had been the closer, that would have been it for him.' The replacement, third-round rookie Suguru Suzuki, got Yamagata to ground out to shortstop to end the threat and retired the side on nine pitches in the fourth. In his first CS appearance, he shifted the momentum, and the team turned the game around with five runs immediately after.

In the press conference on the 13th, the manager stated that the 'key person is the starter.' He entrusted the first game to the left-hander who had a 6-1 record and a 0.76 ERA in seven appearances this season. Although he had allowed one or fewer earned runs in every game this season, he was knocked out in 2 2/3 innings—his shortest outing since converting to a starter in 2024—after giving up six hits and four walks/Hit by Pitches. Despite the unexpected turn of events, the manager emphasized their strength, saying, 'That is how the bullpen has been winning.' Six members of the relief squad, which ranks first in the league in relief ERA (2.26), combined to bridge the gap, and Go Suzuki was even credited with the win.

Just like the past two years when they advanced to the Japan Series, they started with a victory. Including the one-game advantage, they now have three wins. Although the margin was narrowed to two points in the end and there are concerns about the condition of their ace left-hander, Manager Kokubo stated, "Winning is what matters. While individual reflection is necessary, there is not much point in looking back." The battle-hardened leader is looking only forward. (Toui Moriguchi)