SMBC Japan Series 2026 Game 2 DeNA vs Softbank Hawks (25th, Yokohama)

The Softbank Hawks won their second consecutive extra inning game, securing two straight victories at the away Yokohama Stadium. In the ninth inning, trailing by one run, pinch hitter Yamakawa hit a game-tying solo home run. In the tenth extra inning, Kawamura, who entered the game midway, hit a go-ahead solo home run.

The Q&A with manager Hiroki Kokubo is as follows.

They won in an extra inning for the second day in a row.

Thank you very much for staying and cheering for us until so late during the extra inning games yesterday and today.

Hotaka Yamakawa hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning.

I'm sure there is some frustration about not being in the starting line-up. However, his charm lies in hitting a home run exactly when it's needed. He appeared today in the perfect moment where we were all thinking, 'Please hit one here!'

The game was decided by Kawamura, who came off the bench for his first at-bat in the Japan Series.

Well, you know, both those of us in the dugout and all the fans thought, 'No way!', right? It was that kind of home run, wasn't it?

Starting with consecutive wins on enemy ground is the same as two years ago.

Well, I'm just thinking about winning two more games. We'll travel tomorrow and prepare for the games starting on Tuesday.

—Give us your thoughts and enthusiasm heading into the third match.

Since we're at the end now, as I said earlier, we just have to win two more.