It was decided on the 6th that Orix Buffaloes pitcher Sean Hjelle will start against Softbank Hawks on the 7th. In his last start on June 30 against Nippon-Ham (at Escon Stadium), he gave up 9 hit 5 runs in 2 1/3 innings, his worst performance since coming to Japan. "I'm not worried about the past anymore. I've just been sticking to my usual routine without worrying too much," he said, quietly burning with fighting spirit.

They are in fourth place, seven games behind league leaders Softbank Hawks. In the three games against this opponent, they have an outstanding record, having allowed only one runs in a total of 18 inning, making them a "Hawks killer." They have been entrusted with the first game of a crucial two-game series to stay in contention for the championship. The team is lined up with hitter such as Kurihara, who leads the league with 24 Home Run, and Kondo, who is second with 20, but he envisioned a great performance, saying, "I want to pitch aggressively against all hitter, not just those two."

The 213cm right-hander made his final adjustments at Maishima in Osaka that day. "I think every starter aims for a quality start (QS = 6 innings or more, 3 earned runs or less), and I am aiming for that too," he said, straightening his back.