◆ Pacific League Softbank Hawks 8-5 Orix Buffaloes (24th, Mizuho PayPay Dome)

Orix Buffaloes However, they suffered a crushing defeat to the Softbank Hawks and slipped back to fourth place for the first time since the 13th. The unexpected setback came from starting pitcher Tajima. In the first inning, he gave up a leadoff hitter home run to Masaki.In the second inning, immediately after the team’s offense had taken a two-run lead, with two outs bases loaded, he allowed a run-scoring single to first base by Shuto infield hit, a walk-in run by Kondo Walk, a walk-in run by Kurihara Hit by Pitch, and a two-run single to center field by Dai Makihara, suffering his third loss after 1 2/3 innings with 6 runs.Katayama gave up one run in the fourth inning, and Iriyama gave up one run in the sixth.

Manager Kishida commented on the ninth-year left-hander, saying, "I think the pitches themselves were better than last time, but when he gave up a run (in the second inning), it was a bit of a self-inflicted defeat with two outs. It was a tough pitch for him." Regarding his next appearance, he only said, "We'll think about it. Perdomo is also injured, so we don't really have any starting pitchers."

In the second inning, trailing by one run, with two outs and runners on second and third, Mune hit his sixth home run of the season—a three-run shot over the right-field fence—to briefly take the lead. In the fifth inning, trailing by four runs, with one out bases loaded, Sugisawa hit a single to center field sacrifice fly to score a run, and in the ninth inning, Ota delivered an RBI single.They trail the first-place team Seibu Lions by 5.5 games. Still, the manager focused on the positives, noting, “hitter ’s lineup is hitting well,” and set his sights on winning the series.