◇ Orix Buffaloes vs. Hokkaido Nippon-Ham, Game 21 (16th · Kyocera Dome Osaka)

Orix Buffaloes 's Ryoto Kita hit his sixth solo home run.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, trailing by 6 runs, with one out and no runners on base for the runner, Kida connected on the first pitch from the opposing starter, Kohei Arihara pitcher, and the ball soared high into the right-field stands. It was his first hit in three games and sparked a comeback.

Home Run As of August 15, Kurita had appeared in a career-high 68 games, recording a .272 batting average and 29 RBI. In August, he had already hit three —including a two-homer game on the 3rd—and this shot marked his fourth of the month.

◇ Comments from Kida
“I was able to react well to the high-flying breaking ball and make contact. I’ll continue to give it my all until the very end.”