◆ Pacific League Rakuten Eagles Seibu Lions (23rd, Rakuten Eagles Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi)
Seibu Lions took the lead in the 11th inning of extra inning with a two-run homer, the 8th of the season, by their first-round draft pick, catcher Taiga Kojima.
After Seibu Lions tied the game in the fifth inning, neither team could score. The game went into extra inning innings, and in the bottom of the eleventh extra inning with two outs and a runner on second base, Nishigaki hit a go-ahead two-run homer, his eighth of the season, into the right-field stands, connecting with an inside fork. This marked their first three-game sweep against the same opponent since the interleague series ended.
![[Video] So cute! Nogizaka baseball Club's ceremonial pitch](https://hochi.news/images/2026/03/29/20260329-OHT1I51303-L.jpg)
![[Scoreboard] Rakuten Eagles vs. Seibu Lions](https://hochi.news/assets/v2/img/hochi_news_sns.png)
![[Seibu Lions] In the 11th inning extra inning, Taiga Kojima hits a go-ahead 2-run homer, his 8th of the season, securing their third consecutive win against the same opponent! They are 5.5 games behind the league leaders, although starting pitcher Takeuchi was called off at the last minute.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/08/23/20260823-OHT1I51512-L.jpg)
![[Seibu Lions] Substitute starter Sou Sato So didn't get the win, but runs 5 2/3 innings, allowing only one run. "I want to be able to perform well whenever I'm called upon."](https://hochi.news/images/2026/08/23/20260823-OHT1I51531-L.jpg)
![[Seibu Lions] Sou Sato, making an "emergency appearance," gave up 4 hit 1 runs in the middle of the 6th inning, but his pitching was impressive despite giving up Home Run to McCusker.](https://hochi.news/images/2026/08/23/20260823-OHT1I51429-L.jpg)
