Orix Buffaloes 's Kuri displayed his iron arm. He had thrown 116 pitches by the end of the 8th inning, but he didn't hesitate to take the mound in the 9th. With two outs and a runner on first, he got McCusker to ground out to the shortstop, and clenched his fist in triumph. In his first start of the season, he recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts and achieved his second consecutive shutout game win across seasons. As the first shutout in Pacific League he showed his satisfaction, saying, "I'm glad I was able to finish with zero runs."

At his home stadium, Kyocera Dome, he has achieved seven consecutive wins with 37 2/3 scoreless runs. Before taking the mound, he never fails to bow to the four umpire. "I'm the one who's being provided with equipment. It's only natural that I do this because they've taken care of me," he said, using polite language with the younger representative from equipment manufacturer Xanax, which is typical of the right-hander. Possessing humility amidst his passion, he also marked a complete game shutout game with strike out in every inning, a feat not achieved by the team since Yamamoto (Dodgers) in 2019.

Manager Kishida, who successfully avenged the 10-runs defeat in the opening match, praised Aren, saying, "He stopped the bad atmosphere. We owe a lot to Aren." In his second year with the team, he seems to be mastering the essence of toughness. (Shunta Nanbu)