◇Saitama Seibu Lions vs. Tohoku Rakuten Eagles Open Match (17th, Belluna Dome)

Tohoku Rakuten Eagles Kenta Maeda pitcher pitch up to 4 innings. He pitched well with 6 innings, 71 pitches, 1 hit, no walks, Hit by Pitch 6 strike out, no runs.

Ken Maeda became mound in 9 days pitcher. After hitting the first inning with a three-way strikeout, in the bottom of the second, he took a missed struck out from No. 4 Yasuka Hayashi, and his breaking ball was clear. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, he repelled the attack with only 6 pitches, and in the bottom of the 4th, he recorded two consecutive struck out. In the bottom of the 5th inning, he was hit by a hit in the lead, and although he carried a runner for the first time of the day, he finished the follow-up with a hit and a struck out swing. In the bottom of the 6th inning, he finished the mound with a three-way retirement, including two consecutive struck out.

Ken Maeda pitcher this game is his third appearance in the open game and his first runs. He is showing off his brilliant correction ability. This season, which is the first year of his return to the Japanese baseball world, he has a milestone record of 3 wins left until his 100th NPB career win, and he is now in a position to appeal to the opening rotation.

Text: Aoi Yokoyama