On September 11th at 18:00, the 21st round match between Fukuoka Softbank and Chiba Lotte Marines will be held at MIZUHO PayPay Dome.

【Match Record】Fukuoka Softbank (1st) vs Chiba Lotte Marines (4th) 13 wins, 6 losses, 1 draw

【Probable Starters】
Fukuoka Softbank: Yugo Maeda pitcher 16 games, 11 wins, 0 losses, ERA 1.95
Chiba Lotte Marines: Shuta Ishikawa pitcher 5 games, 0 wins, 0 losses, ERA 3.75

For Fukuoka Softbank, pitcher Yugo Maeda will start. In his previous appearance (the 4th against Seibu Lions), although he avoided a loss thanks to run support from the lineup, his performance was 3.1 innings with 7 hit, 2 Walk, and 2 runs. Against Chiba Lotte Marines, he has a record of 2 win, 0 losses, and an ERA of 1.50 over 2 games. In this game, he aims to secure his 12th win to lead the league alone and move closer to the title.

On the other hand, for Chiba Lotte Marines, pitcher Shuta Ishikawa is scheduled to start. This season, he has appeared in 5 games as a reliever with an ERA of 3.75. His opponent for his first start of the season is his former team, Fukuoka Softbank, and his record against them last season was 1 win and 2 losses in 4 games with an ERA of 6.23, which cannot be called a good matchup. In this game, he will aim for his first win of the season and the team's 5th consecutive victory through his own strong pitching.

Text by Aoi Nemoto