2026 Persol Climax Series Pacific League Final Stage Game 3: Softbank Hawks vs Nippon-Ham (16th, Mizuho PayPay)

Nippon-Ham succeeded in taking the lead.

The lineup connected in the first inning. The leadoff hitter Gunji hit a doble to left field, followed by Mizuno drawing a Walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Although Reyes and Nomura were retired, Kotaro Kiyomiya hit a timely single to right with two outs. The player wearing number 21 delivered the opening RBI for the second consecutive game. It provided a significant lead. Manager Shinjo's decision to drastically shuffle the batting order paid off immediately. Kiyomiya, who hit the opening RBI, commented, "The pitch I hit was a fork. It was a 'back against the wall' hitting style."

They are more than 10 games behind the league-leading Softbank Hawks in the season standings, and this final stage is a best-of-seven series that started with Softbank Hawks holding a two-win advantage. Currently on a two-game losing streak, Nippon-Ham is on the brink of elimination with a record of 0 wins and 4 losses from their perspective. They aim to secure a win in the third game to keep their hopes of a comeback alive.