◆Exhibition game: The Giants 1-8 Nippon-Ham (March 14, Tokyo Dome)

On the 14th, Nippon-Ham achieved a resounding 8-1 victory against The Giants in an exhibition game at Tokyo Dome. Starting pitcher Haruki Hosono (24) pitched brilliantly, allowing only 5 hit and 1 runs while striking out 7 strike out through 6 innings. He cited two Walk given up with two outs as areas for improvement, but his breaking ball, which reached a maximum speed of 151 km/h, along with cutter and slider, were well-placed, closer the Giants to just one run via an infield hit. Manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo (54) praised him without reservation. This victory puts him in a strong position to compete for one of the remaining two spots in the opening day rotation.

Hosono went down to the bench, wiped his sweat and showed a wry smile. 6 innings, 1 out, the best outlaw straight and 3 pitches that missed the cabbage struck out. It was two outs, but it was a pitch that I almost returned to the bench. However, he was dismissed when the number of pitches exceeded 100, such as letting Kishida walk. Still, he pitched 5 2/3 innings with 5 hit 1 runs and 7 strike out. "I think there were some issues left in the 5th and 6th innings, but I was able to throw with such a good sense of power," he recalled.

Even when the straight was running, he did not rely on it. breaking ball He prepared count with, "(breaking ball is) about average, minimum. When I'm ahead of the ball, breaking ball is pretty much thrown in the strike zone, so I'm getting more reliable," he said. He said, "I started to notice a change from last season, when I threw many straight balls at a disadvantage count. I started to get ahead of the ball and breaking ball surprisingly strike started to get ahead of the ball. I've been able to continue to do that this year," he said, nodding at his growth.

Manager Shinjo also praised him, saying, "Hosono has become a good pitcher. He came in with poor control, but he has been working hard and training in various ways, and that image is completely gone. Even with a 2-ball count, he can outsmart batters trying to hit with cutter and slider and get strike." pitch that day has brought him significantly closer to becoming a starter in the fifth or sixth game of the season against Lotte (at Escon). "I'm able to do it with a good sense of tension," said Hosono. He aims to use his first-ever spot in the opening day rotation as a springboard for a breakout third year.