◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026 Rakuten Eagles vs. Hiroshima (June 12th, Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi)

mound hit by heavy rain Rakuten Eagles Takayuki Kishi pitcher (41) earned a win. He pitched 5 hit 4 Walk 7 innings and 1 runs for his first win of the season. In the third inning, with one out and runners on first and second, the game was interrupted for about 40 minutes due to rain, making for a tough game, but it remained unshaken. He combined a fastball topping out at 143 km/h with curveballs and change-up, leading Hiroshima's lineup. He threw a season-high 109 pitches. In the ninth inning, Fujihira recorded two outs and bases loaded closer, becoming the 14th player in history to win for 20 consecutive years. "I was relieved. Thanks to the rain interruption, we were able to fix the situation instead, so that was great." This was also their 27th win in interleague play, ranking third all-time.

He has accumulated wins without missing a single year since 2007, during his time with Seibu Lions Lions, bringing his total to 171 wins. He had previously avoided mentioning his ambitious goal of "200 career wins," but since the end of last season, he has begun to speak of it. "I don't know how many more years I can do this." The time he has left is not unlimited. That's why he spoke of it to ignite a fire within himself.

The presence of Yakult 's Ishikawa gave him a strong push. When they ate together during the off-season, he was encouraged every time they met to reach this milestone. "He's incredibly positive. I really think he's amazing." He's been inspired by the extraordinary energy of the 46-year-old left-handed pitcher, the oldest active player, and is using it as his own driving force.

The veteran's strong pitching led to a late-game comeback victory, securing their second consecutive win. "Everyone was showing their fighting spirit. Daichi (Suzuki) and others were saying, 'Kishi-san is doing his best,' and it made me so happy. I almost cried." The story spun by this reliable right-hander shows no signs of ending anytime soon. (Kota Miyauchi)

Record Memo: Kishi (Rakuten) earned his first win of the season against Hiroshima, becoming the 14th player in history to achieve 20 consecutive win. He is the 9th player in history to achieve 20 consecutive win from his rookie year (2007). The longest streak is held by Ishikawa (Yakult), who has 24 consecutive win from his rookie year.