◆ Pacific League Softbank 11-1 Seibu (Mizuho PayPay)
It was a 97-pitch game that was full of soul, despite the headwind. Softbank pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa (31) won his 71st NPB victory in 553 days. It was the team's first win since October 1, 2011, when he was with the Nippon-Ham Fighters, and ended the team's five-game losing streak at home. "I'm really, honestly happy," he said, smiling on the podium.
It was reluctant in a pinch. In the third, fifth, and sixth innings, he got through the third and second bases with one out and double play and made a flashy gutsy pose. In particular, in the fifth inning, he roared with emotion. In his second start of the season, he tossed six innings without hit runs. He slowed down on the curves in the 110 kph range and the fastball in the mid-140 kph range, and did not let the target be narrowed down with a variety of breaking ball such as slider, cut, splitter, change-up and two seam fastball.
In January 2012, he signed a minor league contract with the Rays through the posting system. In March, he transferred to the Red Sox, but failed to produce results in just two games in the majors and became a free agent. While he was unsure about returning to Nippon-Ham, he signed a four-year contract with Softbank in December. He was prepared for criticism, but it was worse than he expected.
"I was told a lot of things, but in the end, wherever you go, if you don't produce results, you'll be criticized. If I worried about what people were saying, I wouldn't be able to live. In the end, it's up to me. Even if my grades are good, people will still say something, and if my grades are bad, I'll just get criticized even more. So I'm determined to work hard."
After the game, the right-handed pitcher looked straight ahead and spoke his mind. His first professional win and his last win with his old team were all on the mound in Hakata. To make the decision that has put his life on the line the right one, he is determined to keep racking up wins. (Shimao Koichiro)
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