◆ Pacific League Rakuten Eagles vs. Orix Buffaloes (December 12, Hirosaki)

Rakuten Eagles 's pitcher Kosei Shoji started the game hoping to earn his fifth win of the season, was pulled after 6 innings, having given up 3 hit 2 runs. His fifth win will have to wait.

He mixed his fastest 153 km/h fastball with curves, splitter, and cutter, closer the opponents perfectly through the first three innings, but his rhythm faltered in the fourth. He allowed a single to Watanabe, the leadoff hit, and then got Moritomo to fly out to left field, but with one out and a runner on first, Nishikawa hit a 146 km/h fastball to right-center field for doble, giving up the first run. He then gave up an RBI single to Ota, giving up two more runs in the inning.

On the 11th, he expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "This is my first time in Aomori, so I'm looking forward to it. I would be happy if many fans came, so I will do my best to show them a good performance." However, he was defeated by the league-leading Orix Buffaloes.