◆ Pacific League Rakuten Eagles Orix Buffaloes (16th, Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi)

Orix Buffaloes suffered a heavy defeat with a season-worst 12 runs. They suffered three consecutive losses against last place Rakuten Eagles in the same matchup, and at Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi, they lost all six games from the start of the season. Manager Mamoru Kishida expressed disappointment over the bullpen's poor form, saying, "The fielder team is scoring well. There are areas where pitching and hitting don't mesh well."

In the sixth inning, with a two-run lead, third pitcher Iwasaki hit a go-ahead bases loaded homer. Asamura carried him over the center field fence of 155 km/h. The 36-year-old veteran right-hander, the oldest in the first-team pitcher team. He has struggled with 8 runs in the last three games, and did not make excuses, saying, "I think getting hit is everything. I'm sorry about the pitch that keeps happening."

Manager Kishida said with a dejected expression, "I'm really just thinking about winning each and every game..." The team's lead, which was once as high as 10 games, has now shrunk to just 1. The gap with first-place Softbank Hawks has widened to a season-high 9 games, and fifth-place Lotte has once again closed the gap to just 1 game.