“I don’t think it’s a team competing for the championship.” Former MLB right-hander saw cause of Falcon’s defeat in battle for first place | Full-Count

What are the two balls at the bottom of the seventh inning that Hanshin OB Yabu Keiji pointed out …

■ Lotte 3-1 Softbank (9th, PayPay Dome)

On the 9th, Softbank lost 1-3 in the battle for the lead to Lotte at their home base, and lined up with Lotte in second place without any game difference. Starter Moore was tough for the first time, but he managed to stop with two goals and made a game, but the batting line fell silent against “Hawk Killer” Lotte Kota Futaki. From the second inning he lost without additional points.

Well then, the battle for the top of the day. Where was the point that divided victory and defeat?

Former Major Keiji Yabu, an OB Hanshin, sees him as “at the bottom of the seventh inning.”

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Lotte’s starting pitcher, Futaki, returned to the mound. Futaki was starting to feel a bit tired after throwing 90 balls, but Softbank’s batting line starting at No. 5 Glasial couldn’t make a hole. When Grasial uses the hairpin on the outer corner of the first ball as a ball, Ryoya Kurihara also flies the first ball directly to second base. Yabu notes that “it was too easy to give in.”

“This time it was a mountain for Futaki. However, Grasial and Kurihara got 2 outs with 2 balls. It was too easy to give too much. Futaki should have been relieved.”

However, Softbank’s batting line that day was quiet in front of Futaki. It is said that he “understands” the sensation of actively swinging from the first ball to change the flow.

“Especially for Kurihara, the two previous seats were lost and lost. I can understand the feeling of rocking the fastball that came so sweetly. However, the Futaki pitcher is about to hit 100 balls. It would have been nice to have Grasial and two of us throwing a few more balls. If we took the time to get a deeper count, I think there was a possibility that Futaki would collapse. I helped pitcher Futaki. “

In fact, the flow of the game leaned towards Lotte, but it was not a one-sided development. For the first time, Softbank starting pitcher Moore was on a losing streak, and Lotte just scored two points while creating a perfect opportunity for a no-kill complete base. There were additional points in the third and fourth half, but there were mistakes like not being able to make full use of them. For that reason, in the bottom of the seventh inning to chase 2 points, it is unfortunate that Softbank hitting the line carelessly made a quick hit with “a light night I can’t think of a team competing for the championship.”

Lotte gained momentum with three hits from Kyodai Fujiwara in year two and rookie Takabe Eito’s first professional hit, but Yabu said, “If Lotte wins in the second round, I feel like I’m going to run the season with that momentum. I will. “Also pay attention to the second round, which can decide the whereabouts of the first battle.