◆ Pacific League Orix Buffaloes 6-1 Lotte (May 5th, Kyocera Dome Osaka)

Orix Buffaloes pitcher Sean Hjelle (28) struggled to secure his first victory in Japan and the longest win in both Japan and the US. "There wasn't a single pitch that I could call a Grade A," he confessed after finishing his hero interview with the kids. He persevered through a career-high seven runs innings in his fifth start, and bent his 213cm frame, saying, "It was really tough."

He held the opposing team hit through four innings. In the fifth inning, with one out and runners on first and second, he got Teraji to hit into a double double play. This was the second game of the "Bs Orikko Day" children's event, which began on the 4th. Wearing "Chibichan," a nickname derived from his father's nickname "Shorty," as his name on his back, he controlled his pitches carefully and walked no walk.

Before the season began, he participated in a pep rally with the players and gave a speech as a new addition to the team. "I was torn between continuing to play in the U.S. or coming to Japan. But I'm really happy that everyone has welcomed me so warmly." During spring training, he invited bullpen catcher to a dinner party. He also took an interest in the fact that ace pitcher Miyagi and others were from Okinawa, and learned the local expression, "It's really fun."

As the tallest right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, he has already secured seven wins. In NPB history, the tallest pitcher in history, former Rakuten Eagles Van Mil (216 cm, 2014), had yet to win. A young girl acting as the interviewer on the victory podium asked, "How can I become taller?" He elicited laughter by saying, "When I was younger, there was a machine that would pull my body up and down, so I had them pull me up with that." The team has now achieved its highest win-loss record of the season with eight games above .500 and has reached 20 wins faster than any other team Pacific League. The new foreign player, full of love for the Orix Buffaloes and a great sense of humor, seems to be a great success. (Toru Nagata)