On September 5th from 14:00, the 22nd round match between the Orix Buffaloes and the Chiba Lotte Marines will be held at Kyocera Dome Osaka.

【Head-to-head record】Orix Buffaloes (4th) vs Chiba Lotte Marines (5th) 13 wins, 8 losses

【Probable Starters】
Orix Buffaloes: pitcher Espinoza 19 games, 11 wins (tied for 1st), 5 losses, ERA 2.49
Chiba Lotte Marines: pitcher Kazuya Ojima 16 games, 5 wins, 8 losses, ERA 3.66

The starter for the Orix Buffaloes is pitcher Espinoza, who has recorded a league-leading 11 wins. In his previous appearance (August 28th vs Fukuoka Softbank), he delivered a quality pitch with 6 innings, 95 pitches, 3 hits, 1 Walk, 6 strike outs, and 2 runs, but suffered a loss due to lack of run support. He has appeared in 2 games against the Chiba Lotte Marines this season, showing good compatibility with 2 wins, 0 losses, and an ERA of 1.93. He hopes to demonstrate this compatibility at his favorite home stadium, where he has recorded 7 wins.

On the other hand, for the Chiba Lotte Marines, Ryusei Terachi has recorded hits in two consecutive games against pitcher Espinoza. His batting condition was unstable this season, leading to two periods of adjustment in the farm team. Since his promotion to the first team on August 19th, he has recorded hits in 9 out of the 12 games he appeared in. On the 28th, he also hit his first Home Run in four months. Will he be able to contribute as a key player for the first team again in the final stages of the season?