Nippon-Ham Hiromi Ito ’s (28) was looking forward to a showdown on the 25th with ’s Hikaru Takahashi, as they vie for the league lead in wins. The right-hander, who will start in the game on the 26th (at Belluna D) aiming for his ninth win—which would put him alone at the top of the league—said, “I think it’s all about winning. I want to keep pitching with that in mind.”On this day, he made final adjustments—including working on his pitches—at the Escon facility before flying to Tokyo. He is eagerly aiming for a win that will directly contribute to the team’s record. pitcher Seibu Lions Seibu Lions catch win

The opposing team's starting pitcher is Hikaru Takahashi, who boasts the second-best record in the league with 7 wins and ERA of 1.23. He regularly checks videos of breaking ball and pitch selection, and says, "I personally have a lot of respect for him. There are parts of him that I use as a reference, so I want to absorb various things while pitching and pitch my best so that we can both pitch long inning." Both complete game are league leaders with 3 complete games, and he envisioned a "double complete game," saying, "Ideally, I'd like to finish the game with just the two of us." He has faced Takahashi six times in the past, recording 3 wins, including 2 shutout game. He has no intention of being the first to leave mound in this ultimate ace showdown.

This season, he has made two appearances Seibu Lions, with one win and ERA 2.08. In the game against them on April 30th (at Belluna Dome), he pitched seven innings, giving up only two runs, but he gave up a Home Run to Hasegawa. "Canario, Nevin, and Hasegawa also hit a home run against me last time, so those three right-handed batters will be key," he said, expressing caution regarding the heart of their lineup.

The highest temperature around Belluna Dome on the 26th was around 28 degrees Celsius, and there are concerns about the humidity compared to their home stadium, Escon, but he said, "I personally don't dislike that kind of heat. Of course, we'll take precautions, and it's going to get hotter not just at Belluna, so as a team, we want to take care of our health and prevent injuries, and do whatever we can to prevent them." He also compared it to his hobby of fishing, saying, "The stadium is much cooler than the fishing grounds, so there's no problem at all (laughs)." He also uses the patience and stamina he has gained from fishing, which he sometimes does even in the blazing sun, to his advantage.

The team has completed 72 games, the halfway point of the season, and has a lead of 8 games above .500. They are in third place, 4.5 games behind the league leaders Seibu Lions, and are gradually closing the gap. "I want to stop each hitter from continuing to do their job. I want to get them out one by one, and even if they get a hit next, I want to make sure I get the next one after that. If I can do these little things properly and pitch long inning, that would be great." The ace will do his job and shut down the Lions' lineup.