◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026: Hiroshima vs. Orix Buffaloes (July 7th, Mazda Stadium)

Orix Buffaloes pitcher Kosei Yoshida managed to extinguish the fire in just six pitches. In the fourth inning, with his team trailing by two runs, reliever Katayama had created a two-out, runners-on-first-and-second situation, and Yoshida took mound. On his first pitch, bases loaded hit a single to right field, loading the bases.

Nevertheless, he got ahead of cleanup hitter Sakakura with two fastball pitches, and then struck struck out with change-up after count was 2-2. The right-hander, who had just returned from right elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery in March 2013, made his presence felt.

In the next inning, pinch hitter Hiranuma was sent in to lead off, and Yoshida was taken out of the game. From the fifth inning, the fourth pitcher, Iwasaki, took mound.