◆ Pacific League Softbank Hawks 4-6 Rakuten Eagles (15th, Mizuho PayPay Stadium)

Rakuten Eagles defeated league leaders Softbank Hawks in two straight games, securing their first series win in eight series. Starting pitcher Takahisa Hayakawa earned his team-leading sixth win of the season, allowing six hit two runs seven innings.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, with two outs and a runner on second base, and the score 6-2, he let out a big sigh of relief after closer Watanabe to fly out to left field. Although he had given up solo home runs to Yanagida and Watanabe, indicating he wasn't in top form, he achieved a high-quality start (HQS, seven innings or more with two or fewer earned runs). The left-hander, who had completed his job, nodded and said, "I was able to attack aggressively with the mindset that a solo home run was okay, so that was good."

With 39 games remaining in the season, he has around six more opportunities to pitch if he continues to be part of the rotation. "If the people who are supposed to win don't win, we can't ride a good wave. I want to become the person who is supposed to win," he said, expressing his awareness of his role as the team's mainstay.

He's just four wins away from win double-digit victories for the second time in his career, and the first time in two years. "Of course, I want to aim for double digits, but first I want to win the matches in front of me and build on that," he said confidently before boarding the bus home.