◆ Pacific League Softbank Hawks 11-1 Nippon-Ham (23rd, Mizuho PayPay Dome)

On the 23rd, Nippon-Ham suffered a come-from-behind loss against Softbank Hawks (at Mizuho PayPay Dome), dropping them to fourth place. This was their seventh consecutive loss against Softbank Hawks to start the season, a new worst record, and manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo's (54) 300th career win will have to wait. In the 8th inning, pitcher Daiki Shimizu (19), a second-year high school graduate who was called up to the first team for the first time that day, made his professional debut. He pitched 2/3 of an inning, giving up 2 hit and 2 runs, experiencing the harsh realities of the first team, but the promising talent took his first step as a professional.

As he ran to back up the ball, a wry smile involuntarily crossed his face. After walking the leadoff batter, Yamakawa, he gave up consecutive hits to Makihara Dai and Nomura with one out, resulting in his first runs allowed. After getting Walk out for the second out, his pitch count had reached 28, and he was told to be replaced. "I was hit for throwing pitches that were just a little too easy, and close pitches were taken for granted, and there were many times when they didn't swing at all. I want to work on that." He made full use of his angled fastball, which reached a maximum speed of 151 km/h, and off breaking ball such as slider, but it was mound he keenly felt the difficulty of getting even one out.

In the minor leagues, he pitched 9 inning over 5 games, strike out and ERA of 2.00. "bullpen in the first team was really intense, and I felt that it was a different league from there. I'm disappointed that I had to leave the game early, but I had fun." The 19-year-old, who boasts an impressive physique of 195 cm and 105 kg, experienced his current position in the first team. This "baptism" he received from last season's champions will be a great source of strength for his future development.

(Yamaguchi Yasushi)