◆ Pacific League Nippon-Ham 7-6 Softbank Hawks (15th, ES CON FIELD)

Nippon-Ham won a close game, securing their second win of the season against league leaders Softbank Hawks. They are now four games behind the leader and have once again reached a 10-game winning streak.

In the first inning, Mizuno, whose error the previous day led to the winning run, hit a go-ahead doble down the left field line. They were quickly overtaken, but tied the game in the second inning with an RBI double to right field by Gunji.

In the third inning, with one out and runners on first and second base, Nomura doble go-ahead RBI double to left field. Another run was added on an infield grounder, giving them a two-run lead.

With both teams having scored one run each, in the seventh inning, Nomura hit a magnificent two-run homer, his 12th of the season, over the left field fence into the second deck. This avenged the humiliation of being pinch-hit for with the bases loaded loaded and no outs the previous day, and sealed the victory.

Starting pitcher Takashi Kato pitched a tenacious game, allowing 8 hit and 3 runs over 5 innings. He became the first in the league to reach double digits in wins, earning his 10th win of the season for the first time in two years. In the 9th inning, the relief pitchers allowed the opposing team to close the gap to one run, but they managed to hold on for the win.