◆ Pacific League Orix Buffaloes 6-2 Nippon-Ham (14th, Kyocera Dome)

Nippon-Ham lost a close game, dropping their lead to 11 games above .500. In the 8th inning, with the score tied, their second pitcher, Hori, gave up a game-winning two-run homer to So, his 10th of the season and second in a row.

In the second inning, Arizono hit a timely single to left field to score the first run, and with the support of the offense, starting pitcher Tatsu delivered a brilliant performance. He pitched perfectly through four innings and allowed only one hit and no runs through five innings, setting the stage for the game perfectly.

However, in the sixth inning, Nakagawa led off with hit to left field and sacrifice bunt, putting a runner on second with one out. Then, So hit a go-ahead two-run homer to right field, his ninth of the season. One swing turned the game around.

Even so, in the seventh inning, leadoff Yoshida reached base at doble down the left field line. Kamikawabata's sacrifice bunt and Arison's Hit by Pitch created a chance with one out, runners on first and third. At this point, hitter Shindo was brought in, and manager Shinjo sent in Yuki Kiyomiya as a pinch hitter. Yuki Kiyomiya hit a timely single to center to tie the game. They quickly tied the game, but it fell short.