◆ Pacific League Rakuten Eagles Lotte (30th, Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi)

Rakuten Eagles lost to Lotte, suffering their second consecutive defeat.

Starter Shoji pitched a strong pitching runs through three innings. However, the game turned dark in the fourth inning with neither team scoring a run. After giving the leadoff scorer Fujiwara a Walk, Yoshi Watanabe bad throw to second base on Nishikawa's grounder to third. He gave Yamaguchi a Hit by Pitch, put bases loaded in trouble, and then hit a bases loaded home run to right field by Sato. With a painful goal, they conceded four goals. He was taken out after 3 hit 2 Hit by Pitch in the 5th inning and 4 runs. Regarding his right-hander suddenly collapsing in the fourth inning, manager Masato Yoshii said, "(Up to the third) it was good. At the lead in the second round (the fourth inning), I guess his mindset changed. The pace changed a bit there, so it was clear that the pitch was up to three innings. (In the 4th inning), Fujiwara threw the first pitch at breaking ball, and it became a ball, and the final shot was also a ball. I think something has changed," he pointed out.

Four times were mass runs in a manner close to self-destruction. "It's a typical way to make a big inning in a typical picture: walk, errors, dead balls, grand slam. I really hope it becomes a pitcher where you can smoothly and smoothly get through those kinds of places."

Since becoming the manager of Rakuten Eagles, Yoshii has struggled against Lotte, the team he managed until last season, losing all three games. New manager Yoshii commented, "They've become tougher. The younger players gained a lot of experience last year, and on top of that, I think they practiced a lot during the offseason. I think they're a good team."

The offense struggled against Lotte's starting pitcher Jackson, being held scoreless through six innings. In the seventh inning, trailing by four runs, McCusker hit a solo home run to left field, but it wasn't enough. This season, the team has a poor record against Lotte, with three wins and eight losses.