On September 8th from 18:00, the 21st round match between the Orix Buffaloes and Saitama Seibu Lions will be held at Kyocera Dome Osaka.

【Head-to-head record】Orix Buffaloes (4th) vs. Saitama Seibu Lions (2nd) 10 wins, 9 losses, 1 draw

【Probable Starters】
Orix Buffaloes: Pitcher Jerry 19 games, 3 wins, 8 losses, ERA 3.28
Saitama Seibu Lions: Pitcher Kaima Taira 20 games, 10 wins, 4 losses, ERA 1.45

The starter for the Orix Buffaloes is pitcher Jerry. In his previous appearance against the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles on August 27th, he was hit hard, allowing 8 hits and 8 runs in less than 3 innings, but he matches up well against the Saitama Seibu Lions, having recorded a QS in all 3 matchups this season. On August 19th, he pitched well, allowing 1 run on 5 hits in 7 innings. In the lineup, Ryoto Kita has been in good form since the start of September with a .429 batting average.

On the other hand, the Saitama Seibu Lions will start pitcher Kaima Taira, who is currently on a streak of 4 consecutive HQS. He has pitched 124 innings so far, falling just short of the regulation innings pitched, but if he clears this mark, his ERA of 1.45 would be the best in the league. He is also just one win away from his career-high of 11 wins. With a 0-game lead over the 3rd-place Hokkaido Nippon-Ham, the team continues to face must-win games; can he lead the team to a win?

Text by Mina Niwa