◆ Pacific League Orix Buffaloes 1-5 Rakuten Eagles (27th, Hotto Motto Kobe)

He fulfilled his role. In the bottom of the 7th inning with two outs and the score 2-1, Rakuten Eagles pitcher Takayuki Kishi (41) struck out Sugisawa with a fastball for a fly ball to left field, and exchanged a glove touch with catcher Horiuchi. He was relieved after 90 pitches, with energy still in reserve. His excellent pitching of 7 innings, 3 hit 1 runs allowed led the team to their first four-game winning streak under the Yoshii regime. The veteran, who earned his 172nd career win, tying him with Daisuke Miura (DeNA) for 41st place all-time, smiled and said, "I am very honored."

His excellent tempo was evident from the very first inning. He threw seven consecutive first-pitch strike to the first seven batters, change-up with Nishikawa. Hit by Pitch also displayed his precision, issuing zero walks or hit batsmen. Although his fastest pitch was 142 km/h, he built up a mountain of weak ground balls with his boldness in throwing curves in the 100 km/h range right down the middle on his first pitch, and his control in scattering changeups and slider to the corners of the plate. From the fifth inning, he teamed up with Horiuchi in place of the injured Ishihara, but his rhythm remained unbroken.

The "middle-aged star," who will turn 42 in December, said he experienced pain in his right shoulder during spring training. "When you're young, it's always been fine. I thought, 'Is this what age is like?'" he recalled with a wry smile. He has come to realize that the range of motion around his shoulders has narrowed as he has gotten older. That's why he never neglects to take extra care of his body. The day before he was scheduled to pitch, he called his long-time athlete consultant, Toshiharu Konoike, to Kobe and prepared himself by receiving a massage until late at night.

This victory at Hotto Motto Field Kobe was his first in 10 years, since August 23, 2016, when he was with the Seibu Lions, and win against a team in the same league since August 26 of last year against Softbank Hawks Hawks (in Hirosaki). "There are a lot of good young pitcher out there, so I went to mound determined to get results. I'm grateful to be given the opportunity to stand on mound." He will go for his 173rd win with a humble heart. (Takeshi Nagai)