◆ Pacific League 4-5 Softbank Hawks (18th, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

Softbank Hawks has won two straight games, bringing their season-high lead to 20 games above .500. They have widened their gap with second-place Seibu Lions to a season-high 4 games, and are poised to pull away for a third consecutive league championship.

Trailing by one run in the third inning with no outs and runners on first and second, Kondo hit a game-tying single to center field. Two more runs were added during double play play and with a timely hit by Makihara Dai. In the fourth inning with two outs and runners on first and second, Kurihara hit a two-doble to extend the lead to four runs.

From the sixth inning onwards, they fended off Lotte's counterattack with a series of relief pitchers. Otsu earned his ninth win of the season, giving up three runs in five innings.

Kondo, who leads the league with 69 RBI, is on pace for 116 RBI this season, while Kurihara, who is second with 67 RBI, is on RBI 112. If both players achieve 110 or more RBI in the same season, it would be the first time for the team since Matsunaka (123 RBI) and Jojima (119 RBI) in 2003. In 2003, Iguchi and Valdes also recorded over 100 RBI, forming a quartet of players with over 100 RBI.