◆ Pacific League Softbank Hawks 7-1 Orix Buffaloes (22nd, Mizuho PayPay Dome)

Orix Buffaloes pitcher Kazuma Sato (25) honestly admitted, "My first thought was to get one out." It was his first appearance in the first team in a month and a half. In the 8th inning, trailing by 6 runs, he managed to do just that against the great hitter Kondo. He threw three straight fastballs from the first pitch. After getting ahead in count 1-2, he finished him off with an outside slider struck out.

He started the game against Nippon-Ham on July 2nd (at Escon Stadium) and gave up home runs to the first four batters in the first inning. He used that humiliating first in professional baseball history as motivation and seized his chance. He joined the team in the same 2019 developmental draft as ace Miyagi, and this is his seventh year. "As long as I'm wearing the uniform, I can't give up," he said, and countless words of encouragement have given him strength.

He then gave Kurihara a Walk, but then flew out to center field. Yu Yamamoto also got a struck out swing and missed on a fork. His 190 cm and 97 kg physique is attractive. His debt is tied for the worst three this season, but Manager Kishida expressed hope, saying, "We have no choice but to let him continue this practice." The 25-year-old looked forward, saying, "If I don't pitch one game at a time, one inning at a time, I can't regain trust." A man who knows rock bottom is strong. (Toru Nagata)