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

It was a first win that repaid the family who supports him. Tatsuki Ito's baseball career began by following in the footsteps of his father, Manabu, and his brother, Sho, who is six years his senior. "It felt natural, or rather, something I had to do. Although I hated having to get a buzz cut," he recalls. During his elementary school years, the coaching from his father, who served as the team's manager, was strict. "If I made an error... it was Spartan," he says with a laugh. Those mud-caked practice sessions became his foundation.

His mother, Yuko, has always provided warm support. When he was in the sixth grade of elementary school, she would drive him for about three hours every week from Akita to Miyagi so he could participate in Rakuten Eagles Junior practices. He has never forgotten his gratitude. His grandmother, Nobuko, also played a significant role. "Both my father and mother worked, so I spent a lot of time with my grandmother. She would throw badminton shuttles for me, and I would hit them with total focus." The time spent with his grandmother remains etched in his memory. The right-hander, who has a goal of gifting a camper van to his family, gives the winning ball to them. "I'll go back to Akita and give it to them." He delivered a win as a way of giving back. (Kota Miyauchi)