◇ Tohoku Rakuten Eagles vs Saitama Seibu Lions Game 15 (19th, Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi)

Saitama Seibu Lions Taiga Kojima hit his fourth three-run homer.

In the top of the third inning, with neither team scoring, Saitama Seibu Lions took the lead with one out and runners on second on a hit by Canario, and Manaya Nishikawa hit a timely hit to take the lead. Natsuo Takizawa continued with a safety bunt, and with one out and runners on first and second, Kojima entered his second at-bat. On the first pitch thrown by opposing starter Ureña pitcher, he swung through a high change-up, and the ball soared high into the right field stands.

This was his first grand slam in four games since the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham game on the 12th, when he hit his first in 20 years, and his fourth homer, a three-run homer, brought valuable extra runs to the team.

◇ Comment from Kojima
"The one who hit was sinker. The batting was going well, so I swung with all my might. I'm glad it became home run."

Text by Rihoko Niwa