◆パ・リーグ　オリックス０―４西武（２０日・京セラドーム大阪）

Orix Buffaloes catcher Ryoma Yamanaka (25) is on the rise. In the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and trailing by four runs, he connected with change-up from Seibu Lions 's Sumida for a double to left-center field, the team's first extra doble. "It was a little late, but I'm glad I got a hit at the end." His streak of consecutive games with multiple hit ended at four, but he is now on a nine-game hit and his hot streak continues.

This season, he has made tee batting with a custom-made bat a routine before games. "Since I'm right-handed, my left hand isn't very dexterous. To make better use of my left hand," he says, he first grips an extremely short bat with just his left hand to develop the feeling of "pushing" the ball. After that, he swings a 90cm long bat, repeatedly practicing using his whole body rather than just his hands. "It helps me reset anything that's gone wrong. It's a good drill," he says, revealing that his good form is due to his ingenuity and resourcefulness.

"Whatever I initially decided to do, I intend to continue doing it, regardless of the outcome," he said, demonstrating his unwavering determination as one of his strengths. Although the team missed out on a third consecutive win, Yamanaka has no doubts about the path he is taking. (Shunta Nanbu)