◆ Pacific League: Orix Buffaloes vs. Softbank Hawks (8th, Kyocera Dome)
In the eighth inning, with Softbank Hawks leading by one run, their second pitcher, Osuna, gave up a game-tying solo home run to Kurebayashi with one out. It was Osuna's first run runs in 24 games and his first home run of the season.
Starting pitcher Yugo Yugo Maeda left the game after seven innings, having allowed only one run, with the potential to secure his seventh win of the season without runs, but the victory vanished. A seven-game winning streak to start the season by a player in their first three years out of high school is something that hasn't happened since Shohei Ohtani (Nippon-Ham) in 2015, and it would have been the first time in 61 years for the team.
![[Scoreboard] Orix Buffaloes vs. Softbank Hawks](https://hochi.news/assets/v2/img/hochi_news_sns.png)
![[Softbank Hawks] Yuki Yanagita hits his first pinch-hit home run as a professional, Home Run double digits for the 11th time in three years. "I haven't been getting results, so I want to improve." The 37-year-old, in the final year of his seven-year contract, is in top form.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/07/20260707-OHT1I51538-L.jpg)
![[Softbank Hawks] Finally overcame their nemesis Jerry in their fourth game. Manager Hiroki Kokubo: "Coach Hasegawa devised a strategy, and we responded exactly as planned."](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/07/20260707-OHT1I51578-L.jpg)
![[Softbank Hawks] After taking a 3-run lead, they allowed an error, Walk, and another bases loaded Walk and the game ended with a spectacular catch by Shuto. Manager Hiroki Kokubo said, "Shuto saved us."](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/07/20260707-OHT1I51566-L.jpg)
![[Softbank Hawks] Yuki Yanagita hits his first pinch-hit three-run homer as a pro, bringing his total to 10 home runs for the first time in three years. This comes shortly after his classmate, Yomiuri The Giants' Hayato Sakamoto, hits a pinch-hit go-ahead doble. The 37-year-olds compete as pinch hitters in Tokyo and Osaka.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/07/20260707-OHT1I51487-L.jpg)
