◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026 Seibu Lions 1-0 The Giants (14th, Belluna Dome)

Having secured a comfortable victory, Seibu Lions Lions manager Fumiya Nishiguchi (53) shook hands firmly with his coaching staff. Having defeated The Giants 1-0, they are once again in first place in the interleague series with a record of 13 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, with one game remaining. A win or a draw against Hanshin Tigers on the 16th (Koshien) will secure the team's first-ever interleague championship. "Now that we've come this far, we're aiming for that, if we're at the top. I think everyone is working towards that goal. I think everyone will give it their all in the end." For the first time, the manager made a declaration of wanting to win the championship. His tone was forceful and powerful.

He transformed his frustration into power. In the fifth inning, with the score tied 0-0, Ishii, the leadoff batter, connected with a 147 km/h two-seam two seam fastball from opposing starter Inoue, sending the ball soaring into the right-field stands. His third home run of the season gave his team a crucial lead. Last offseason, he transferred from Nippon-Ham as a free agent, but his performance didn't improve, and he even experienced being sent down to the minor leagues. "I was given the opportunity to come here as a free agent, but I haven't been able to perform well," he said, channeling his frustration into his hit, delivering a priceless home run.

They successfully defended their precious one-run lead with their vaunted pitcher lineup. Starter Wainans pitched 6 2/3 innings with 4 hit, 7 strike out, and no runs, setting the tone with a rock-solid pitch performance. Wingenter, Shinohara, and Kaiono followed in a shutout game relay.The team ERA boasts a 2.40 ERA, the best among the 12 teams. They prevailed in a close game—a match where a loss would have eliminated their chances of winning the championship—and instead put themselves one win away from the title.

They reached 40 wins faster than any other team in the league. Having secured a series win against every team in the Central League, the manager expressed satisfaction, saying, "This is truly the result of the whole team fighting together. Especially pitcher. The starters did a great job and handed the ball over to the reliever, which led to this result. The batting lineup also attacked relentlessly." They stuck to their style until the very end and seized their long-awaited championship. (Ayami Onaka)

◆Interleague Championship to be Decided on the 16th The interleague championship is a three-way race. Softbank Hawks, which has already finished all its games, has a record of 14 wins and 4 losses, Seibu Lions, with one game remaining on the 16th, has a record of 13 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, and Nippon-Ham has a record of 13 wins and 4 losses. The conditions for winning the championship are: if Seibu Lions wins or draws against Hanshin Tigers on the 16th, they win the championship; if they lose, they lose the championship. If Seibu Lions loses and Nippon-Ham wins, they will both have a record of 14 wins and 4 losses, tied with Softbank Hawks, and the championship will be decided by TQB. If Nippon-Ham loses or draws, Softbank Hawks will win the championship. As of the 14th, Softbank Hawks and Nippon-Ham 's TQB are as shown in the separate table, and currently Softbank Hawks is ahead. In the game on the 16th, if Nippon-Ham wins 4-0 in a 9-inning game, their TQB will be .192, and if they win 5-0, their TQB will be .198. In order for Nippon Ham to surpass Softbank Hawks 's .197, they will need to win by a margin of 5 runs or more.