◆ Pacific League: Nippon-Ham vs. Seibu Lions (18th, ES CON FIELD)

An accident struck Seibu Lions.

With a two-run lead and no outs in the sixth inning, Narama hit a ball that hit the left ankle of the starter, Takeuchi. Takeuchi went straight to cover first base, but when play stopped, he cowered on the spot, frowned, and retreated behind the bench with his trainer and coach Toyoda pitcher.

He didn't return to ground immediately, and Itokawa took mound as the second pitcher.

He had been pitching well, holding the opponent runs through five innings, but then things took a turn for the worse. He was replaced after 5 1/3 innings, having given up 6 hit 3 runs. Relief pitchers Itokawa and Haneda were hit hard, giving up 5 runs in one inning and allowing the opponent to take the lead.

Takeuchi was injured in the same game on August 5th last year (at Escon) when he was hit in the left leg by a batted ball and had to leave the game. It took him a month and a half to recover before he could return to the first team. This was the second consecutive year that this tragedy has struck.