◆ Pacific League: Rakuten Eagles vs. Softbank Hawks (August 1st, Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi)
In the third inning with two outs and a runner on first base, Softbank Hawks 's Tomoya Masaki 's fastball, sending a go-ahead two-run homer, his 16th of the season, into the left-field home run zone. According to NPB+, the ball's batted speed was 183.5 km/h, and it was a bullet line drive with an extremely low trajectory, reaching a maximum height of just 10 meters.
"I didn't think it would be home run because the angle wasn't right. I just swung it well and it ended up going over wall."
In the game Orix Buffaloes on June 24, he recorded a batted ball speed of 188.5 km/h. He showcased his impressive hitting ability right from the first game of the second half of the season.
![[Video] Yugo Maeda VS Shion Matsuo: Mr. Nishitani, are you watching?](https://hochi.news/images/2026/06/06/20260606-OHT1I51244-C.jpg)
![[Scoreboard] Rakuten Eagles vs. Softbank Hawks](https://hochi.news/assets/v2/img/hochi_news_sns.png)
![[Softbank Hawks] Manager Yuki Kokubo comments on the timeline for Hotaka Yamakawa ’s promotion to the first team while he’s training with the second team: “I don’t want to call him up just to have him go back and forth.” He hit a three-run homer in the second team game the day before. Meanwhile, on the first team, Tomoya Masaki is doing his best while also playing first base alongside outfield.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/08/01/20260801-OHT1I51251-L.jpg)
![[Rakuten Eagles] A moment of silence will be held at their home stadium before the game against Softbank Hawks following the Kumamoto earthquake. Players and coaches from both teams will participate.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/08/01/20260801-OHT1I51315-L.jpg)
![[Rakuten Eagles] Game against Softbank Hawks cancelled due to rain Takahisa Hayakawa, whose first game of the second half of the season will be cancelled, was scheduled to start.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/07/31/20260731-OHT1I51342-L.jpg)
