[일본시리즈 1차전] ‘Arihara’s 7 innings of no runs + final hit’ Softbank, ‘main batting line, 2 hits and silence in 15 at-bats’ DeNA overpowered

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PhotoㅣSoftbank Hawks official SNS capture

Softbank Hawks succeeded in taking the lead by defeating Yokohama DeNA Baystars.

Softbank won 5-3 in the first game of the 2024 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) SMBC Japan Series (best of 7) against DeNA held at Yokohama Stadium on the 26th. With this, Softbank extended the club’s longest winning streak in the Japan Series to 13.

Softbank starting pitcher Kohei Arihara earned the win after pitching 7 innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 walks, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts, and no runs, including hitting the game-winning hit directly at the plate. DeNA starting pitcher Andre Jackson took the brunt of the loss with 3 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts, and 2 runs in 4.2 innings.

Softbank scored the winning run in the top of the second inning. The winning hit came from the starting pitcher’s hand. After two outs, Masaki Tomoya’s heavy hit, Daisei Makihara’s double, and Kai Takuya’s intentional four-pitch opportunity to load the bases, Arihara hit Jackson’s third pitch, a fastball in the middle of 153 km/h, and hit a right-handed hit for two RBIs. It was the final hit of the day.

In the top of the 9th inning, where the streak of 0 continued, Softbank scored the key point. Hits by Hiroki Minei and Ukyo Shuto made it 5-0 with one out, runners on 1st and 2nd base, Kenta Imamiya’s 2-RBI double, and Ryoya Kurihara’s left-handed hit put a wedge in the game.

Softbank struggled, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs (2 earned runs) in one inning, including closing pitcher Marcell Ozunaga, who came on the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning, and got timely hits from Kouki Kajiwara and Keito Mori, but was in danger of allowing additional runs on 1st and 3rd bases with 2 outs when the score was 5-3. He ended the game by catching DeNA’s main hitter, Shugo Maki, with a fly ball to center field.

In Softbank’s batting lineup, Shuto led the team to victory by going 2 hits and 1 run in 5 at bats, while Kurihara went 2 hits and 3 hits, 1 RBI and 1 run in 3 at bats. The performances of Imamiya (1 hit, 2 RBI, 4 at-bats) and starting pitcher Arihara (1 hit, 2 RBI, 3 at-bats) also stood out.

In DeNA, Kajiwara and Mori each hit hard with 2 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 RBI, and 1 run, but Maki (0-hit in 5 at-bats) ~ Keita Sano (1 hit in 4 at-bats) ~ Tyler Austin (1 hit in 2 at-bats) ~ Miyazaki Toshiro’s 2nd to 5th batting lineup (no hits in 4 at-bats) bowed his head, struggling with 2 hits in 15 at-bats.

The two teams will play the second game at the same venue at 6 p.m. on the 27th. Livan Moinello will start for Softbank, and Shinichi Onuki will start for DeNA. Moinello is a key starting pitcher who won the Pacific League ERA title with 11 wins, 5 losses, and an earned run average (ERA) of 1.88 in 25 regular season games this year. Onuki recorded 6 wins, 7 losses, and an ERA of 2.85 in the regular season.

Reporter Kang San posterboy@donga.com See more of this reporter’s articles