The second game between Hokkaido Nippon-Ham and the Saitama Seibu Lions will be held at ES CON FIELD on April 18th at 2 PM.

[Head-to-head record] Hokkaido Nippon-Ham (4th place) vs. Saitama Seibu Lions (5th place): 0 wins, 1 loss

[Announced Starting Pitcher]
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham: pitcher Hiromi Ito 3 games, 1 win, 1 loss, ERA 5.71
Saitama Seibu Lions: Natsuki Takeuchi pitcher 3 games, 1 win, 1 loss, ERA 2.37

The starting pitcher for Hokkaido Nippon-Ham is Hiromi Ito. ERA has worsened against Fukuoka Softbank this season, but he pitched well against Orix Buffaloes on the 3rd, giving up no runs in 6 innings. He has a good record against Saitama Seibu Lions, with 4 wins and no losses in 5 games against them in the last two years. Also, third-round draft pick rookie Ruan Ohtsuka Otsuka made his first-team debut the day before as the leadoff hitter and second second baseman, and recorded his first professional hit in his first at-bat.

On the other hand, Saitama Seibu Lions pitcher Natsuki Takeuchi is in good form, having recorded two consecutive quality starts (HQS). He will be looking to secure win for his team closer crucial plays. Meanwhile, the batting lineup has been struggling, but leadoff hitter Masayuki Kuwahara is performing as expected with a batting average of .316. Can the team overcome their difficulties with Kuwahara at the helm?

Written by Kai Nagi Niwa