Lotte's 19-year-old second-year high school graduate Yuto Kimura once again showed off a brilliant pitch that changed the flow of the game in the game against Seibu on the 22nd.
In the sixth inning, with the score at 0-1, he took mound after starting pitcher Shuta Ishikawa, and was strike 3 balls and 0 strikes to first batter Shota Hiranuma, but missed a 148 km/ fastball, then swung and missed another 148 km/h fastball to make it 3 balls and 2 strike, and then hit a 151 km/h fastball on the sixth pitch, which was a fly ball to left field. He was down 3 balls and 2 strike to next batter Shota Nevin, but got two outs with a 150 km/h fastball on the sixth pitch, and then retired Cedeño with a grounder to third base, safely finishing the inning with three outs.
Immediately after, in the bottom of the sixth, they tied the game, and in the seventh, the second inning, they walked Walk Shuta Tonosaki, the first runner allowed in nine inning this season, but they remained calm after that. Then, Daiju Nomura came in to pitch, and with runner in scoring position, he struck out out pinch hitter Takumi Kuriyama with a 149 km/ fastball, and then got pinch hitter Takeya Nakamura to ground out to the pitcher with a 150 km/ fastball, giving runs.
On this day, he threw 34 pitches in two innings, allowing no hit, one strike out, one BB, and no runs, continuing his no-hitter streak of nine inning over five games since his first appearance.
◆ pitch 9 inning without a hit in five games since his first professional appearance
Kimura set his goal as his first win of the season, and in his first professional appearance on March 30th against Softbank with the score tied at 4-4, he pitched in the seventh inning, closer the opposing team runs for one inning, and then immediately took the lead in the eighth inning to earn his first professional win, achieving his goal early on.
Regarding his future goals, he said, "Because I got my first win, I think I'll get more opportunities to pitch from now on, so I'll try to closer the score at zero for inning I'm assigned to. I think my next appearance after my first will be important, so I want to keep swinging my arm without being satisfied."In his second professional appearance on April 4th against Rakuten, he also pitched a perfect relief three innings.
"Since my first appearance I've been working hard to maintain my physical condition, and it's showing on mound, so I think that's a good thing, both in terms of my physical condition and the mental state I'm showing now."
Although he gave up Walk for the first time in the game against Seibu on the 22nd, he was able to closer runner at zero. Regarding this, he analyzed himself, saying, "My first priority is closer the runners at zero in inning I'm assigned to, so I'm able to get that mindset firmly in place when I go up to mound, and I think that's good."
When asked why he has good control, he explained, "My body is in good condition, and I'm able to move my weight smoothly.The position of glove and my shoulders are good. I think that's the best thing."
When asked if he had stable control since his school days, he replied, "I don't think it was bad, but what's more, I feel like it got better after I went professional and faced batters."
closer nine runs inning in five games in the first team and is now an indispensable member of The Marines bullpen. "I think my fastball, cutter, and slider are all pretty effective, so there are areas where I want to pitch with confidence, but there are also areas where I still want to get strikeouts, so I'd like to keep working on those areas," he said with confidence.
"Be able to come back with 0 for the inning you've been entrusted with. mound I want to be able to come home with a 0 on the inning I was assigned to. I want to give it my all and go after the hitters without letting my mind wander. I am very much looking forward to seeing what kind of pitch he will show us in the future and what kind of growth curve he will draw as a right-handed pitcher growing up in the first team mound.
Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita
