◇Chiba Lotte Marines vs Fukuoka Softbank Game 25 (3rd, Zozo Marine Stadium)

Fukuoka Softbank pitcher Haru Matsumoto delivered a superb performance, allowing only 1 runs over 8 inning, although he did not earn the win.

Aiming for his 13th victory to tie for the league lead, pitcher Haru Matsumoto took the starting mound. In the first inning, despite putting runner in scoring position due to two Walk and other factors, he escaped without allowing a run. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, immediately after his teammates took a 1-run lead, he retired the side in order. He continued to retire the next three inning in order as well, and in the bottom of the 6th inning, he struck out three consecutive struck out. In the bottom of the 8th inning, he gave up a game-tying 8th solo home run to Kyuto Ueda, but he closer the following three batters to finish his outing. He left the mound after 8 inning on 109 pitches, allowing 5 hit, 2 Walk, and 6 strike out for 1 runs.

Although the team suffered a walk-off loss and their winning streak stopped at 7, pitcher Haru Matsumoto showed a brilliant performance, recording his 5th HQS of the season and his first since the Orix Buffaloes game on August 23rd.

Text by Ryo Aritake