◆パ・リーグ　オリックス０―２日本ハム（１０日・京セラドーム大阪）

Nippon-Ham Taisei Yanagawa pitcher (22) pitched in the 9th inning with a score of 2-0, pitching a perfect pitch in one inning. He recorded a stunning pitch with a top speed of 155 km/h and two struck out, marking his eighth save in two consecutive games. "Starting directly from the start is the most nerve-wracking. I focused firmly on the lead and kept the pace good." The day before, Takashi Kato had no runs in the 8th inning. On this day, Kitayama passed the baton to the baton with no runs in the eighth inning, but he remained calm and finished the match unfazed.

This season, he ERA 1.50 in 12 games. He has not failed a single save opportunity, showing increased consistency. The right-hander, who recorded 11 saves last season, aims to remain the team's closer for the entire year. This season, he is focusing on reducing the number of pitches thrown during pre-game catch practice and bullpen sessions, saying, "In order to pitch for the entire year, I am conscious of not throwing too much, even if there are things that bother me. I think I got tired from throwing too much last year, so I am learning from last year's mistakes." Having learned from his experience of being sidelined at the end of last season due to poor physical condition, he is bravely reviewing his training methods this season.

It was Mother's Day that day. Before the game, he exchanged messages with his mother, who lives in Oita, via LINE, expressing his gratitude for everything she does for him. "I'm glad I was able to closer on Mother's Day. I hope to continue pitching even better from now on," the dutiful son vowed to repay his mother's kindness.

Manager Shinjo expressed his confidence in the young guardian god, saying, "I think Kitayama-kun feels that if he leaves it to Yanagawa-kun, he'll be fine. Yanagawa is also closer good, but there will come a time when he will get hit, and I want to see how he overcomes that time. The 22-year-old, who is evolving year by year, will seize the position of Shinjo Ham's absolute guardian god.