◆ Pacific League Nippon-Ham 5-1 Orix Buffaloes (August 1st, ES CON FIELD)

Nippon-Ham secured a decisive victory against league Orix Buffaloes. This win extended their winning streak, reducing their deficit to two games and escaping last place.

Trailing by one run in the third inning, Castro hit a go-ahead three-run homer to left field with two outs and runners on first and second base after hit and an error. They successfully took the lead early in the game.

In the fourth inning, with one out and runners on first and third, Manami executed a perfectly timed safety squeeze pushing the ball between pitcher and first baseman. This resulted in a timely infield hit, adding another run. Then, in the sixth inning, Manami hit his ninth home run of the season to right-center field, extending his lead and putting him far ahead in the league.

Starting pitcher Takashi Kato gave up a run in the first inning, but pitched six innings, allowing only one runs on seven hit, to earn his team-leading third win of the season. From the middle of the sixth inning, Saito, Uehara, Tamai, and Tanaka took over in a solid relief effort to secure the win.