◆ Pacific League Seibu Lions 7-4 Orix Buffaloes (18th, Tokyo Dome)

Second-place Seibu Lions launched a fierce offensive in the fourth inning, sending 11 hitter through the lineup, to secure a decisive victory in the first game of their three-game series against fourth-place Orix Buffaloes.

In the fourth inning, trailing by one run, Canario hit an RBI single to left field with no outs and runners on first and second to tie the game. With the same number of outs and runners on first and second, Hirasawa hit doble down the right field line to take the lead. Then, with the bases bases loaded and one out, Genda hit an RBI single to left field, forcing opposing starter Kuri off mound, and two more runs were added due to an opponent's error. With two outs and runners on first and second, Kojima hit an RBI single to left field, giving them a total of six runs in the inning.

In the fifth inning, with a five-run lead, Canario hit his 11th home run of the season, his second in as many games.

Starting pitcher Kaima Taira pitched a tenacious game, allowing only 7 hit 2 runs over 7 innings to earn his 9th win of the season. This was his first victory in his third appearance at Tokyo Dome this season.

In the first inning, with one out and a runner on first, he retired Nishikawa on a groundout to third on a 156-kilometer fastball double play. In the second inning, again with one out and a runner on first, he retired Kida on a groundout to second double play.In the third inning, with both teams scoreless and runners on first and third with no outs, he gave up the first run on a groundout to third by Wakatsuki. However, in the fifth inning—after his team had taken the lead—he induced a groundout to third from Wakatsuki on the very first pitch with one out and a runner on first double play. In the sixth inning, he gave up a solo home run Home Run to the leadoff batter Mune, but held the rest of the lineup in check.In the seventh inning, with two outs and runners on first and third, he finished off pinch-hitter Mugitani—who had just hit a home run full count—with a 156-kilometer fastball that he called a strike , resulting in a called strike struck out.