Mr. Iwamoto: There are many games where they build a solid lead and then hold on to win until the end.

Nippon-Ham played against the Rakuten Eagles on the 6th and won 6-3. Starting pitcher Kohei Arihara pitched well, throwing 100 pitches over 6 innings, allowing 5 hits, 4 strike outs, 3 walks/Hit by Pitch, and 2 runs.

Nippon-Ham is riding a wave of momentum with an 8-game winning streak as they head into next week's matchups against the first-place Softbank Hawks and second-place Seibu Lions. Regarding the rotation of starter who have achieved five consecutive Quality Starts (QS = 6 or more innings with 3 or fewer earned runs), MC Tsutomu Iwamoto analyzed on the May 6th broadcast of Fuji TV ONE's 'Professional baseball News 2026,' stating, 'There is a factor within this winning streak: the starter are working hard and building the games well. It's not just about the QS; it feels like there are many games where it is easy for the following pitcher to take the mound, properly setting up the game before closing it out.' Commentator Akihiko Ohya added his evaluation, saying, 'I think the return of players like Sachiya Yamazaki and today's Arihara has brought a great sense of stability to the rotation. While the young pitcher are certainly working hard, I believe the power of these veterans is a huge factor in allowing the rotation to turn with peace of mind.'

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2026"