◇ Orix Buffaloes vs. Fukuoka Softbank 12th Round (8th, Kyocera Dome Osaka)

​Fukuoka Softbank Yugo Maeda pitcher delivered an impressive performance with 108 pitches over 7 innings, 8 hit, 1 Walk, 4 strike out 1 runs.

In the first three inning, they allowed runner and closer runs without a single game. Although the lineup took the lead during that time, in the bottom of the fourth, the leadoff Yuma Mune caught a breaking ball in the inside corner, giving up a solo home run to the seventh home run, which was temporarily tied. Even so, the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings continued to closer the bottom of the sixth inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, with a one-run lead, the team faced a crisis with two outs and runners on second starting with hit leadoff hitter. However, the Ryoma Nishikawa players who followed behind shone thanks to strong plays from short stop and Akira Kawase, resulting in a groundout to the infield. They did not allow the home run to tie the game and took the mound.

In the eighth inning, the second pitcher, Osuna pitcher, gave up a game-tying homer, losing the right to win pitcher, but the ERA has maintained a stable pitch at 1.76 since the start of the season.

◇ Yu Maeda pitcher Comment
"I think I got a bit too many hits. If I get hits, I think there's some underlying cause, so I want to review the footage and make sure to fix it properly. In a tight, tense game, throwing a long inning gives me confidence, and next time I'll do my best to pitch even better."

Text by Aoi Nishijima