◆ Pacific League Softbank Hawks 1-2 Orix Buffaloes (21st, Mizuho PayPay Dome)
Softbank Hawks 's winning streak ended at four games with a come-from-behind loss. They took the lead in the second inning with a solo home run by Yamamoto, but in the fourth inning, Uwasawa allowed three consecutive hits with two outs, tying the game. In the fifth inning, with two outs, Sugisawa hit a go-ahead solo home run. Uwasawa, who has 87 career wins, has recorded 25 wins against Orix Buffaloes in individual series, but he was not blessed with run support and suffered his fourth loss of the season.
The gap between them and second-place Seibu Lions, who did not play a game, narrowed to 3.5 games.
![[Photo] Norika Fujiwara throws the ceremonial first pitch in a "Cat's Eye" combat uniform.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/21/20260721-OHT1I51373-C.jpg)
![[Orix Buffaloes] Daiki Tajima joins the first team and is expected to be on standby as a reliever during the three-game series Softbank Hawks. He made a relief appearance in the farm team on the 18th, pitching two scoreless runs](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/21/20260721-OHT1I51243-L.jpg)
![[Orix Buffaloes] Raiku Katayama remains relaxed even against league leaders Softbank Hawks: "I'll throw my own pitches to everyone." He also sends his support to his alma mater, Shirakaba Gakuen, which has secured a spot in the summer tournament... He will start on the 21st.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/21/20260721-OHT1I51364-L.jpg)
![[Softbank Hawks] Fourth consecutive win brings their lead to a season-high 22 games above .500. Closer Kazuki Sugiyama and set-up man Yuki Matsumoto rested, Yuki Tsumori secured his first save of the season in a close game.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/20/20260720-OHT1I51529-L.jpg)
![[Softbank Hawks] Manager Hiroki Kokubo: "I feel how important every single play is." A base-running error at the end put them 2.5 games behind base running](https://hochi.news/images/2025/09/21/20250921-OHT1I51234-L.jpg)
