(Pacific League, Softbank 5-8 Nippon-Ham, 21st game, Softbank 11 wins, 9 losses, 1 draw, 4th, Mizuho PayPay) The good mood up until the eighth inning was turned upside down. Softbank was down by three points, but in the ninth inning they lost six points, resulting in a disappointing comeback defeat, leaving them with just 15 points to win the championship.

“I guess I need to change the way I fight.”

The relief pitching in the ninth inning fell apart. Closer Matsumoto Yutaka was unable to control his pitches and walked the first batter, after which he was immediately replaced. D6th-ranked Oyama was caught up with after giving up three hits, and with two outs and a runner on second base, he was switched to D2nd-ranked Iwai. However, he allowed a winning hit to Mizutani, who entered the game as a substitute, to the left front, and Kiyomiya hit a two-run home run over the right field fence, putting him far behind.

“The rookies are not to blame. If the situation had been dire, it would have been an upset defeat, but we’re going to try and change the way we fight again.”

After being down by two runs in the first inning, Imamiya and Kurihara hit consecutive home runs to help the team turn the game around, and in the third inning Yamakawa hit his 30th solo home run to liven up the home crowd, but things don’t always go smoothly.

The manager emphasized that he would change the way he fought. In the final stretch, he was faced with a critical moment: would he appoint a new guardian angel to replace Matsumoto Yutaka, who had been the closer since July? (Masato Uesaka)