◆ Pacific League: Lotte 2-7 Orix Buffaloes (12th, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

Lotte's starting left-hander, Kazuya Ojima (30), gave up 5 hit 3 runs in the middle of the 6th inning, suffering his 6th loss of the season (2 wins). Having failed to win a series for the third consecutive time, the team's winning record has been wiped out, dropping them back to a .500 winning percentage.

Trailing by one run in the second inning, the batting lineup had a chance with no outs and a runner on second (bases loaded), and the No. 7 hitter, Kyuto Ueda infielder (24), delivered a two-run single to center field to take the lead.However, in the sixth inning, with the team leading by one run, Kojima gave up a Hit by Pitch to leadoff hitter Yamanaka, followed by a single to left field hit to Nishikawa, and was pulled from the game. The second pitcher, right-hander Akira Yagi, then allowed a two-run doble to right-center field off the cleanup hitter Ota, turning the game around.

After the game, manager Saburo, whose team is now at zero wins, said, "We can't move up unless we break through another wall. I want to know what the players are thinking and feeling. Now that we're back to a .500 record, it's a question of whether we can go up again or fall. We'll do everything we can, but ultimately it's up to the players. I hope they'll think about it now." He urged his players to step up.