◆ Pacific League Nippon-Ham 3-6 Seibu Lions (17th, Escon Stadium)

Seibu Lions has risen to the top of the standings for the first time in 1354 days since the Nishiguchi regime, after playing more than 40 games.

Trailing by one run in the 7th inning, with two outs, leadoff hitter Canario hit doble down the left field line, and then pinch-hitter Junichiro Kishi was sent in for Nishikawa, who had been hit in the last two games. Kishi swung at Uehara's first pitch, a 137 km/h fork on the outfielder corner, and the ball flew into the left field bullpen for a go-ahead two-run homer, his first of the season. After that, with two outs and a runner on first, cleanup hitter Nevin hit his seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot, his second in two games, and the team scored four runs in the inning.

Right-handed pitcher Winans, making his debut in Japan, earned his first win with 6 innings pitched, 5 hit strike out 4 Hit by Pitch, and 2 runs. He started strong in the first inning, retiring the side in order. In the second inning, he allowed a single to right hit, Hit by Pitch, and a walk, loading doble bases with no Walk, but he didn't give up any bases loaded. In the third inning, with one out and a runner on first, he gave up a go-ahead RBI double down the left field line to Kamikawabata. With two outs and a runner on third, he gave up an RBI single to left field to Reyes, who had hit the game-winning home run in the same game the previous day, giving up a second run.

The team was in second place before the game, 0.5 games behind the league-leading Orix Buffaloes. This was the first time under manager Nishiguchi that they were in first place, and the first time in 1354 days, since September 1, 2022 (when 122 games had been played), that they had played more than 40 games.