◆Exhibition game: Nippon-Ham vs. Yakult (21st, ES CON FIELD)

Hiromi Ito pitcher of Nippon-Ham who was participating in the WBC with Samurai Japan started, throwing 73 pitches in 5 innings 3 hit 2 runs also pitched a dignified 8 strike out in each inning to dispel any concerns about the start of the season. His fastest speed was 150 km/h. He is scheduled to start the season opener (Mizuho Peipay) against Softbank Hawks on the 27th, which will be a 5-day game in the middle of the season.

After his appearance on the mound, Ito commented, "This was an appearance where I was able to confirm what I needed to confirm. I was able to clarify what I need to do, so I would like to prepare thoroughly before the opening day."

In the first inning, Nagaoka hit a ground ball with a 141 km splitter, and Santana hit a ground ball with a slider. Takeoka followed with a splitter of 143 kg from full count and finished with a struck out swing.

In the second inning, Osuna in the lead swung struck out with an outside slider. Furthermore, when Suzuki Ha was taken with a high and straight swing struck out of 148 kg, Iwata was doble to the left center splitter floating, but Akabane was again finished off with a straight swing struck out of 148 kg, and all three outs were taken with a struck out swing.

In the 3rd inning, Yamano got three groundouts and Kaz Maruyama got two easy outs, missing struck out with a 148 km/h straight ball out of the park. However, Nagaoka followed with a floater splitter and allowed a solo shot over the right field wall, giving up a run. Santana followed with a 145 km/h straight ball and closer got two outs.

In the 4th inning, after driving Takeoka, he two seam fastball the front door to Inhigh. After taking a missed struck out at 145 km, Osuna swung struck out with an outside slider, and Suzuki Ha hit it with a left fly, finishing it off with a three-way strike for the first time since the first time.

In the fifth inning, Walk the leadoff batter, Iwata. After Akabane hit a ground ball to the pitcher, putting a runner on struck out with one out, Yamano struck him out swinging, but then Maruyama Kazu hit an RBI single to right field, giving up the second run. He then got Nagaoka to hit a foul fly to the shortstop with a 147 km/h pitch, and left mound after this inning.

Ito gave up a go-ahead three-run homer in the quarterfinal match against Venezuela in the WBC. He faced slander and criticism, but after returning to Japan on the 16th, he gave up his day off and rejoined the team on the 17th, saying, "I thought it would be better to act rather than think about it. The only way to overcome the frustration of baseball is through baseball," and he had shifted his focus to the season.

Manager Shinjo also showed his strong confidence in him, saying, "He's 5000% going to be the opening day pitcher. He's not a weak pitcher. He's not a weak person. If he had closer (in the WBC), I wouldn't have made him the opening day pitcher. I probably would have put him fifth or sixth. But since he got hit, I thought, 'Okay, let's go!'" and reaffirmed his nomination for the opening pitcher.