Softbank Hawks' Hotaka Yamakawa hits a game-tying out-of-the-park home run as a pinch hitter. Mr. Oya said, 'I thought he was setting a trap with that outrageous swing on the first pitch.' | Pacific League.com

Softbank Hawks' Hotaka Yamakawa hits a game-tying pinch-hit home run out of the park; Mr. Oya says, 'I thought he laid a trap with that outrageous swing on the first pitch.'

Baseball King

October 25, 2026 21:10

Softbank Hawks 's Hotaka Yamakawa (C) Kyodo News

A determined home run in response to his selection! Sakaguchi said, 'He delivered the swing the bench expected right from the first pitch.'

SMBC Nippon Series 2026 Game 2
● DeNA 3 － 4 Softbank Hawks ○
＜October 25, Yokohama Stadium＞

In the ninth inning trailing by one run, pinch hitter Hotaka Yamakawa hit a game-tying home run out of the stadium with one out and no runners on base.

Yamakawa swung and missed at the first pitch cutter, but then hit a life-saving shot on the same pitch type for the second ball. On the April 25th broadcast of Fuji TV ONE's 'Professional baseball News 2026', commentator Akihiko Ohya analyzed, 'He had a terrible swing and miss on the first pitch. I thought he was setting the bait with that. He was waiting for the same pitch type to come into the sweet spot, and that is exactly what happened. He made use of that swing and miss.' He further praised him, saying, 'Since it was just one at-bat as a pinch hitter, he went for a big gamble because it was okay to aim for a Home Run, and it is amazing that he hit it like that.'

Another commentator, Atsushi Kataoka, praised the play, saying, 'I think there were various options for a pinch hitter in that situation, especially since the top of the order was up next. Yamakawa was chosen there with the expectation to go for a Home Run. Even if the pitch was easy to hit, it is truly impressive that he actually hit a Home Run here.' The MC, Tomotaka Sakaguchi, shared his view, stating, 'I think the first-pitch swing and miss set the stage, and it was an at-bat where Yamakawa himself fully understood the meaning of being sent in as a pinch hitter. Regardless of whether he could hit it or not, the fact that he took the kind of swing the bench expected from the first pitch is what led to the Home Run on the second pitch.' Regarding the shot of pure determination that answered the manager's call, Mr. Oya remarked, 'I believe they sent in someone capable of hitting a Home Run, and a Home Run was produced where Yamakawa was once again given a chance to shine by Manager Kokubo.'

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2026"