Pacific League: Orix Buffaloes 3-6 Softbank Hawks (30th, Kyocera Dome Osaka)

The Orix Buffaloes lost to the league-leading Softbank Hawks, falling to a season-worst tie of four games under .500. August, which was already guaranteed to be their third consecutive month with a losing record, ended with a 10-15 finish. Their struggles continue as they have now gone five consecutive series without a series win.

Starter Soya left the mound after his shortest outing of the season, allowing 10 hits and 5 runs (4 earned) in 3 innings. He struggled to find his rhythm, throwing 85 pitches over 3 innings, and suffered his 6th loss (5 wins). From the 4th inning, the second pitcher Tajima threw 4 scoreless innings. Making his second relief appearance in his 152nd career NPB game, the 9th-year pro left-hander showed signs of a resurgence in a long relief role, reaching a top speed of 149 km/h.

In the 8th inning, Furushima, making his first appearance in the first team since the game Seibu Lions on April 16th (Kyocera Dome Osaka), runs a scoreless inning. In the 9th inning, Katayama gave up a solo home run to Masaki.

Trailing by five in the fourth inning, Mune hit a two-run home run over the right-field wall—his 12th of the season—with one out and a runner on first. In the seventh, with the deficit at three, Ota hit an RBI single to right field with two outs and runners on first and second. However, the lineup was unable to score any further runs after that.