◇ Hokkaido Nippon-Ham vs. Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, Game 16 (26th, ES CON FIELD)

​Naoki Arizono of Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters hit a go-ahead RBI single, his RBI of the season, and also hit his first professional Home Run.

He was promoted to the first team on the 22nd and made starting line-up in two games as the leadoff hitter and third baseman. In the first inning, he hit doble that led to the first run, and in his second at-bat in the bottom of the second inning, he came up with two outs and runners on first and third. He swung at the second pitch of a 0-1 count and, despite being jammed, sent it to center fielder. It dropped in front of center fielder for a go-ahead RBI single.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, with two outs and no runner on base, he stepped up to bullpen RBI fastball line drive his first professional Home Run, adding a valuable run to his score, bringing his total to 3 At Bat in 3 at-bats with 2 hit.

The promising 23-year-old had a top season in the minor leagues last year, leading in batting average, Home Run, and on-base percentage. This season, he has posted impressive numbers in 38 games, with a batting average of .311 and an OPS of 1.012, earning him a promotion. All eyes will be on him to see if he can deliver results and have a breakout season in his fifth year.

Written by Kai Nagi Niwa