◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026 Softbank Hawks 10-4 Hanshin Tigers (June 9, Mizuho PayPay Stadium)

Softbank Hawks maintained the top spot in interleague play with five consecutive inning Home Run, tying the Pacific League record. Ryoya Kurihara infielder (29) hit his 18th career home run with two outs and a runner on second in the first inning, making it his 100th career homer, and in the third inning with two outs and a runner on first, he hit his 19th homer in two consecutive at-bats for a 3-hit 4-RBI. The lineup, following the cleanup strike, faced off for the first time since last season's Japan Series, Hanshin Tigers dominated the opponent with a total of 6 home runs and 10 points. Seibu Lions, who finished second in interleague play, also won walk-off against Hiroshima, narrowing the gap by one game.

Kurihara slowly began to walk. In the first inning, with two outs and a runner on second base, he connected with Saiki's second pitch, sending a 45-degree fly ball into the right-field stands. It was his 18th home run of the season, a two-run shot that puts him at the top of both leagues. "I was thinking I'd work hard for a year, but it's going a little too smoothly." This home run, which was also his 100th career home run, ignited the offense.

Nomura, who had starting line-up for the first time in about a month with one out in two innings, added another run with his first home run of the season, instantly boosting momentum. In the third inning, Kurihara hit his 19th two-run homer in two consecutive at-bats. In the 4th, Nomura also hit two consecutive solo homers, and in the 5th, Kondo and Makihara each hit two-run homers. Five consecutive inning Home Run is Pacific League tying the record for the fourth time. His 6-Home Run in one game marked his first wild hitting since the April 7, 2019 game against Lotte (Yahoo Auctions D).

They won last year's Japan Series 4-1. They had suffered a loss to Saiki in Game 3, but they avenged that defeat. Manager Kokubo's expectation that it would be a pitcher duel was overturned by this resounding victory.

Kurihara, the cleanup hitter who was central to the team's performance with 3 hit 4 RBI, led both the interleague games with 7 Home Run and 18 RBI. He had a spectacular May with 11 Home Run and 26 RBI, but had been limited to just one Home Run since the start of June. On this day, he confessed, "My batting practice was one of the worst this year, so I went into the game feeling anxious," but he adjusted in the swing room until 30 minutes before the game started and delivered results from his first at-bat.

With five games remaining in the interleague series, they are in first place, just one game ahead of second-place Seibu Lions. The manager remains unwavering, saying, "Today's over, all we have to do is win tomorrow," but their 10th interleague championship is clearly within reach. The batting lineup is active, and pitcher staff is stable. There are no apparent weaknesses. (Tosei Moriguchi)

inning ◆Record Notes: Softbank Hawks recorded 5 inning consecutive Home Run from the 1st to the 5th innings. The team’s professional inning Home Run record baseball stands at 6 inning consecutive The Giants from the 2nd to the 7th innings, set on October 10, 1967, against the Hiroshima Carp.This marks the 11th time a pitcher has recorded 5 or more consecutive Home Run since Hiroshima’s 5 inning consecutive strikeouts against DeNA on May 8, 1922. In the Pacific League, it is the fourth time this record has been tied, following the 5 inning consecutive strikeouts by Seibu Lions in 1991, 2004, and 2008. It is the first time this has happened in interleague play.