◆ Pacific League Softbank Hawks 7-5 Nippon-Ham (May 5th, Mizuho PayPay Dome)

Nippon-Ham lost to Softbank Hawks, giving Softbank Hawks a magic number of 37 to clinch the championship. Their record against each other on the road is now 2 wins and 14 losses, eliminating Nippon Ham's chances of winning the championship on their own.

The lineup took the lead early in the first inning with Gunji's middle sacrifice fly. However, in the bottom of the inning, starter Kitayama got leadoff Masaki on Walk, and Shuto's grounder to second was fumbled by second baseman Yamagata. throw hurriedly tossed to second but missed, leaving the team in a no-out, runners-on-second and third crisis. After Kondo hit a grounder to second, the team tied the game, then Kurihara hit a go-ahead RBI single to left and Makihara Dai hit a single to right, allowing three runs in one go. In the second inning, Kondo gave up a two-run doble down the right field line to add two more runs. Kitayama left the mound after the shortest inning of the season, 6 hit 5 runs.

In the third inning, Manami hit his 20th home run of the season, a solo shot, to score one run. In the sixth inning, Arizono drew a bases-loaded Walk, and pinch hitter Kiyomiya Yuki hit a two-run single to right field to tie the game.

Nevertheless, in the 8th inning with the score tied 5-5, Shimamoto gave up a game-winning two-run homer to Nomura.