On September 16th from 18:00, the 22nd round match between Orix Buffaloes and Fukuoka Softbank will be held at Kyocera Dome Osaka.

【Match Record】Orix Buffaloes (4th) vs Fukuoka Softbank (1st) 10 wins 11 losses

【Announced Starters】
Orix Buffaloes: Alen Kuri pitcher 24 games 8 wins 11 losses, ERA 3.48
Fukuoka Softbank: Naoyuki Uwasawa pitcher 19 games 8 wins 4 losses, ERA 2.63

For Orix Buffaloes, pitcher Alen Kuri will start. In his previous appearance (9th, vs Seibu Lions), he struggled, giving up 6 runs on 7 hit and 3 walks/Hit by Pitch in 4 innings with 79 pitches, and his difficult period continues. Can he regain his form in this game and secure his first win in about a month? In the lineup, Ryo Ota, who hit his 9th solo Home Run in the previous game, has been producing results with a .318 batting average against this opponent.

On the other hand, Fukuoka Softbank's starter, pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa, is currently on a three-game winning streak, having earned a win in his previous appearance (9th, vs Hokkaido Nippon-Ham) with 3 runs and 8 strike out in 6 innings with 92 pitches. So far this season, he has a good compatibility with Kyocera Dome Osaka, with 2 wins in 2 games and an ERA of 1.38, so expectations are high for his pitch in this game. In the lineup, Yuki Yanagita has maintained good form over the last 5 games, with 8 hit in 19 At Bat, 4 Home Run, and 7 RBI.

Text by Rian Ueno