Pacific League: Nippon-Ham 6-4 Lotte (28th, ES CON FIELD)

Nippon-Ham outfielder Franmil Reyes, whose future is uncertain, spoke about his feelings on the victory platform.

After hitting a go-ahead 28th three-run homer over center field in the third inning, he followed up in the fifth with his 29th, a two-run shot over left field, marking home runs in consecutive at-bats. As he stood on the hero interview stage after a performance featuring two homers and 5 RBIs, a bombshell statement awaited at the very end.

At the end of the hero interview, when asked for a message to the fans, Reyes sat down and began to speak. "You all have created a very special place for me and my family. Everyone in Hokkaido, everyone in The Fighters, I consider you all family. This is our home. This is where I belong," he said passionately. Standing up as if overcome with emotion, he spoke fervently, "I wanna stay here forever."

Afterwards, Reyes, who spoke to the press, explained his intentions, saying, "I think I’ve told you all many times, but I love The Fighters and I want to stay with The Fighters. Since that (the contract) is not within my control, there are parts I’m not sure about, but I wanted to reiterate to everyone that this is how I feel. I know everyone, including this team and all of you reporters, so I don’t personally want to go and join a completely new group of people; I want to stay here forever."