◆ Pacific League Softbank Hawks 3-4 Lotte (13th, Mizuho PayPay Dome)

He poured his emotions into the white ball. Lotte's Tanaka made it through a long tunnel. With the score 4-2, he went out in the sixth inning. He retired Yanagimachi swinging and missing at change-up and struck out, then let out a roar and exploded with emotion. "I got a chance, so I absolutely wanted to live up to expectations and gave it my all." With a powerful pitch of 4 hit 2 runs and 8 strike out in the 6th, he earned his second win in four and a half months since the March 28 game against Seibu Lions (ZOZO), ending his five-game losing streak.

The two months he spent with the minor league team from mid-June, during which he completely revised his pitching form with minor league pitcher coach Mima, paid off. His control also improved, and he wiped his brow, saying, "I was able to clearly demonstrate that what I've been working on for the past two months wasn't in vain."

With 42 games remaining, the battle to secure a spot in the Climax Series continues. "No one has given up on the Climax Series, and we'll fight with all our might in each and every game in front of us, and in every game I pitch, I'll do my best to lead the team to victory," said Tanaka. The 22-year-old has raised the momentum for a comeback.

(Takeshi Nagai)