◆ Pacific League 3-2 Orix Buffaloes (17th, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

Orix Buffaloes suffered a come-from-behind loss to Lotte, marking their first four-game losing streak of the season. They have struggled in their last seven games, with a record of 1 win and 6 losses. Second-place Seibu Lions, who were 0.5 games behind, defeated Nippon-Ham on the same day, causing Orix to relinquish the top spot they had held since April 19th.

Starting pitcher Soya gave up 6 hit 3 runs in 6 innings, suffering his third loss of the season. He pitched a tenacious 88 pitches and fulfilled his role as a starter, but the go-ahead 3-run homer he gave up to Soto with two outs in the 6th inning, when his team was leading by one run, proved costly.

In the third inning, with both teams scoreless, cleanup hitter Ota hit his third home run of the season, his first since the game against Softbank Hawks on April 17th (at Mizuho PayPay Dome), giving his team the lead. In the eighth inning, trailing by two runs, So hit a timely single to left field with two outs and runners on first and third, narrowing the gap to one run, but the comeback ended there.