◆パ・リーグ　オリックス９―４日本ハム（２６日・京セラドーム大阪）

Orix Buffaloes secured a resounding 9-run victory, extending their club record to 11 consecutive wins at their home stadium, Kyocera Dome Osaka. They also showed their fighting spirit by sweeping Nippon-Ham who had previously suffered three consecutive losses on the road.

Manager Kishida's tactics shone through. The opposing starting pitcher that day was Arihara, against whom they had given up the most wins in any single series, 29. Prior to the game, data showed that Avg against right-handed hitter was .286, while against left-handed hitter it was .310.

The manager, for the first time this season, left Ota, who had 3 hit 3 RBI the previous day, out of the starting lineup and devised a lineup where all but catcher Wakatsuki left-handed hitter. left-handed hitter Moritomo, Kida, Seymour, and So drove in RBI, forcing Arihara off the mound in the middle of the 4th inning after giving up 7 hit 8 runs. Watanabe, who was in good form and batting second, hit a decisive 3-run homer, his third of the season, off the second pitcher, Ikutame.

In pitching, starter Kuri Kuri pitched 8 innings of 4 runs baseball for his second win. Kyocera Dome Osaka In the final game of the series, Kuri won his 8th straight game, showing his outstanding chemistry on this day.