◆ Pacific League Orix Buffaloes 5-3 Lotte (25th, Kyocera Dome Osaka)

Orix Buffaloes won a close game, achieving their first eight-game winning streak at home against Lotte in 58 years, since 1968 (they won ten straight games back then). This is their first series win in four series, putting them back in the positive 50s. They have also secured a winning percentage of over 50% for the first half of the season.

In the first inning, the offense took an early 3-0 lead with sacrifice fly by Nishikawa and a two-run homer to left field by Ota, his sixth of the season. In the 7th inning, fifth-year catcher Fukunaga hit a go-ahead solo homer to left field, his first of the season. They added another run in the 8th inning.

On the pitching side, starter Jerry was pulled after 5 innings, runs 6 hit and strike out while striking out 6. He had shown pitch through the first 4 innings, but in the 5th inning, with a 2-run lead and one out with runners on first and third, he gave up a game-tying 2-run triple to right-center field to Fujiwara. His bid for his 4th win of the season, his first in 4 games, was put on hold. "I think I was pitch well overall through the 4th inning, but I'm very disappointed that I gave up the hit on a mistake in the 5th inning," he said, biting his lip.

Nevertheless, Iriyama, Yamazaki, Mukunoki, and Machado pitched runs innings from the sixth inning onward. After eight games of the final nine-game stretch of the first half of the season, the team's record stands at 4 wins and 4 losses.