◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026 Chunichi 1-4 Seibu Lions (12 innings) (July 7 extra inning Vantelin Dome)

Seibu Lions outfielder Shinya Hasegawa hit a game-winning solo home run, his eighth of the season, on the 7th.

It was a decisive play. Just moments earlier, in the bottom of the 11th inning with two outs (extra inning), a sign play had successfully caught the opposing first baseman (runner) Hosokawa off guard with a pickoff throw (bases loaded). As a murmur of excitement still lingered in the stadium, Hasegawa stepped up to the plate as the leadoff batter in the 12th inning and said, “That play in the bottom of the 11th (defense) was everything. I was able to carry that momentum right into my at-bat.I’m glad it turned out well.” His swing connected with Saito’s 140 km/h fastball, and the ball vanished into the front row of the left-field stands, where the Shishito fans were waiting.

After hitting his eighth home run, a game-winning solo shot that brought the team closer to win, he smiled brightly and said, "I'm happy that I was able to directly contribute to the win, and I want to continue doing this."

Manager Nishiguchi also praised him highly, saying, "We were desperate to score a run, even if it meant just getting on base, so it was really huge that he was able to get a hit as the leadoff hitter in that way. It gave the team momentum."