April 27, 2024, 20:10 Softbank vs. Seibu In the bottom of the 10th inning, Kawase (right) receives a rough blessing from his teammates after hitting a timely hit with Softbank on first and third base with one out and a walk-off home run. (Photo by Maki Umene)
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Softbank won the fourth overtime game of the season for the first time. The hero was Kawase, who hit a hit over the right field from 1st and 3rd base with one out in the 10th inning. Participated as a pinch runner for Yamakawa in the 8th inning. He produced solid results in his first at-bat. Just two years ago in the spring. Second team coach Kokubo’s words were harsh to Kawase, who was defeated by the second team. He said, “Change your batting from scratch. You can’t hit like this.” He was not called and told personally. Post-game meeting. This was announced in front of all players. I had no regrets. Rather, he accepted the words of second-team coach Kokubo, thinking it was a new challenge. He got a feel for the game by using a batting style that tilted his bat slightly toward the catcher.
If those words weren’t there… The walk-off hit might not have happened. “For now, I’m relieved. I’ll continue to do my best.” Kawase, standing on the hero’s stand, was immersed in the joy of contributing to the Kokubo Hawks’ victory.
The team achieved their second four-game winning streak this season with a hard-fought walk-off victory. He also increased his savings to 9, firmly maintaining his lead. The Golden Week got off to a good start. Against Seibu, they have won four consecutive games without any problems. Against Seibu, which has a stable starting lineup, manager Kokubo said, “We won, but we still have a stable starting pitcher, so I felt they were strong,” after their last three consecutive wins over their opponents. Seibu was unable to attack starter Imai, but he still sent pinch hitter Akira Nakamura from second base with two outs in the 7th inning, bringing the score back to a tie. The decisive move was decided with a bang.
The Kokubo Hawks are still just getting started, but the big numbers that mark this milestone are likely to boost the team. With the victory on this day, the total number of wins since moving to Fukuoka in 1989 (Heimoto) is 2498. Two wins left to reach 2500 wins. If they win consecutive games against Seibu, they will be able to win the Memorial. We would like to give a further boost to the team that is currently in the lead.
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2024-04-27 17:14:08
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