◆ Pacific League Nippon-Ham 2-4 Softbank Hawks (14th, ES CON FIELD)

Nippon-Ham lost, bringing their season record against Softbank Hawks to 1 win and 11 losses. Their lead in games is now a single digit of 9, and they are 5 games behind first-place Softbank Hawks.

Early on, neither team was able to score, with both sides trading runner. Starter Kitayama weathered a jam in the first inning with one out and runners on second and third, and did the same in the third inning with one out and runners on second and third runs. However, in the fifth inning, he gave up a solo home run—his 12th of the season—to Masaki that sailed over the left-field fence, allowing the opposing team to take the lead.

The offense squandered a chance in the second inning with runners on first and third with one out, and failed to score in the fourth inning bases loaded with one out and in the sixth inning with bases loaded loaded with no outs. In particular, in the sixth inning, manager Shinjo tried to make a comeback by sending in pinch hitter Hosokawa for Nomura and pinch hitter Tamiya for Shindo, but it was no use.

Still, in the seventh inning—after pitcher took over for Osuna—Mizuno’s hit and a pickoff bad throw put a runner on second with no outs, and Yuki Kiyomiya’s flyout to right field made it one out and a runner on third. At that point, Reyes hit a fly ball to right field sacrifice fly, tying the game.

However, in the bottom of the ninth inning, with the score tied, Shimamoto gave up three runs, partly due to an error. Kiyomiya Yuki hit a solo home run, but it wasn't enough.