The 16th game between the Saitama Seibu Lions and Orix Buffaloes will be held at Belluna Dome on August 1st at 5 PM.

[Head-to-head record] Saitama Seibu Lions (3rd place) vs. Orix Buffaloes (4th place): 5 wins, 9 losses, 1 draw

[Announced Starting Pitcher]
Saitama Seibu Lions: Yutaro Watanabe pitcher 15 games, 4 wins, 6 losses, 3.44 ERA
Orix Buffaloes: pitcher Jerry, 15 games, 3 wins, 6 losses, ERA 2.81

Saitama Seibu Lions will have pitcher Yutaro Watanabe on the mound. In July, he struggled, pitching 20 innings and giving up 10 runs with ERA of 4.50. He's currently on a three-game losing streak and hasn't recorded a win yet, but can he get his first win since June 21st in this game? Meanwhile, Taiga Kojima had a great performance in the previous game, with two hit and one RBI, including a timely hit that gave the team a temporary lead. His batting average for June and July has been in the low .200s, so he'll be looking to get back into form.

On the opposing side, Orix Buffaloes will start pitcher Jerry. In their previous encounter on May 22nd, he pitched well, throwing 81 pitches over 6 innings, allowing only 5 hit no runs, earning his second win of the season. Keep an eye on Keita Nakagawa in the batting lineup. He had been hitless in 20 At Bat hit up until the 26th, but he recorded two hit in the last game. Will this be the turning point for him to regain his form?

Written by Aoi Nishijima