SMBC Japan Series 2026 Game 1 DeNA vs Softbank Hawks (24th, Yokohama)

The Softbank Hawks successfully took the lead in the 11th extra inning, starting with a hit by outfielder Yuki Yanagita. Leading off, he reached base with a doble that deflected off the glove of first baseman Sano. After fouling off two bunt attempts, Taisei Makihara switched to hitting and struck out. Yu Yamamoto was Hit by Pitch, and with one out and runners on first and second, Shoji hit a timely doble to left field. Still with one out and runners on second and third, pinch hitter Yanagimachi hit a sacrifice fly.

After taking a one-point lead in the seventh inning, second pitcher Matsumoto Yu gave up a painful hit in the eighth. Maki drove a massive game-tying solo home run into the center-field screen. As the game entered the 57th extra inning in Japan Series history, they managed to snatch a precious point.

In the early stages, Yamamoto Yu showed his spirit at his former home, Yokohama Stadium. He joined from DeNA in May through a trade for Ogata and Inoue. In his first at-bat of the series with one out in the second inning, he hit a single to right field, and in the seventh inning, he delivered a hit that led to the opening run. In his third at-bat with a runner on first and no outs, he hit a doble down the left-field line, and the team took the lead during the following groundout to second by the eighth batter, Shoji.

The starting pitcher, Uwasawa, overcame an accident to deliver a great performance. Guided by Yamamoto Yu's excellent lead, he pitched seven scoreless innings. In the seventh inning, the lead-off batter Kajiwara's batted ball hit his right thigh directly, and he faced a crisis with a runner on second and one out due to a balk, but he did not allow any runs. Last year, in his first Japan Series appearance in Game 2, he endured with a minimum of one run allowed over six innings, including seven strike outs with four consecutive ones, and became the winning pitcher. A win for the second consecutive year was put on hold.

They won their third consecutive league title with overwhelming strength, finishing 42 games over .500 and 11.5 games ahead of the second-place Seibu Lions. On the other hand, DeNA was only 2 games over .500. Although they finished in third place, 7.5 games behind the Hanshin Tigers, they won consecutive games against The Giants in the first stage of the CS and then won four straight games against the Hanshin Tigers in the final stage. They entered the championship series undefeated.

The two teams also faced each other in the Japan Series two years ago in 2024. Coincidentally, both teams had the same regular season record of 40 games over .500 back then as well. Although the Softbank Hawks started with consecutive wins, they subsequently suffered a humiliating upset by losing four games in a row. Team Chairman Sadaharu Oh had vowed to get double the revenge when he inspected the night practice the previous day. In last year's series against the Hanshin Tigers, they suffered a 1-2 lose in the first game, but then won four consecutive games from the second game onward to reach the top.