Pacific League: Orix Buffaloes 1-5 Rakuten Eagles (25th, Kyocera Dome)

Rakuten Eagles came from behind to defeat Orix Buffaloes. Draft pick #2 rookie pitcher Tatsuki Ito (Waseda University), making his first professional start, earned his first professional win.

Satoru Komiyama (60), Ito's former mentor at Waseda University, participated as a coach in the Kanagawa University baseball League's 77th anniversary commemorative event, "Kanagawa University baseball League Select Team vs. Tokyo Big6 baseball League Select Team," held at Yokohama Stadium that day. After the game, he heard from the press about his protégé's first professional win and sent a congratulatory message.

"I received a message saying, 'I'm starting on Tuesday.' During the interleague games, he pitched only two innings at Koshien (against the Hanshin Tigers), gave up four runs, and was immediately removed from the roster. At that time, I sent him a message saying, 'Don't get discouraged, keep working hard.' After that, as a result of working reasonably hard, he was given the opportunity to start, so it's a story of 'I'm glad he won,' isn't it?" he celebrated in the "Komiyama style."

Tsubasa Yoshino outfielder, also a Waseda alumnus in his second year as a pro, was promoted to the first team for the first time this season and immediately played starting line-up, assisting his junior in his first professional win. "Did he make it to the first team? Yoshinou hasn't contacted him, so he's just giving him a lecture," he joked and left Hamasta behind. (Hiroshi Kato)