◆ Pacific League vs. Softbank Hawks (27th, ZOZO Marine Stadium)

He recorded a milestone hit in his hometown of Chiba. Softbank Hawks' Kondo achieved his 1,500th career hit with a hit to right field in the first inning with one out and a runner on first. "I have been coming to this stadium often since I was a child. I am truly glad I could achieve this at this ballpark," he said, as he proudly held up a commemorative board toward the stands where his parents were watching.

Despite being small for a professional baseball player at 171 cm tall, he has produced hits at a pace exceeding his 1,473 games played with outstanding bat control. He also recorded a hit to center in the fifth inning, and his career batting average of .307 (with over 4,000 At Bats) ranks 12th all-time.

The team secured a winning record for the fifth consecutive season, reducing their magic number for winning the championship to 21. Manager Kokubo confidently predicted that the team would reach the milestone of 2,000 hits, saying, "2,000 hit will come soon enough." The 33-year-old prodigy hitter who just turned 33 on the 9th of this month, added, "This is just a stepping stone. I want to achieve 2,000 hit, so taking care of my body is important." He has signed a seven-year contract with Softbank Hawks, where he moved as a free agent from Nippon-Ham until 2029. If things go smoothly, he will be able to enter the Hall of Fame in his final year. (Koichiro Shimao)