◇ Rakuten Eagles vs. Chiba Lotte Marines Game 23 (29th, Rakuten Mobile Saikyo Park Miyagi)

Chiba Lotte Marines' Daito Yamamoto hit a go-ahead 3rd solo Home Run.

In the top of the 2nd inning, immediately after the game was tied due to his own bad throw, Yamamoto entered the batter's box as the lead-off hitter of the inning. On the 6th pitch from a full count, he pulled an inside low breaking ball thrown by the opposing starting pitcher Tatsuki Ito, sending the ball into the left-field stands. With a blast that made up for his own mistake, he succeeded in taking the lead.

Yamamoto hit his first Home Run in about two months, since the August 5th game against the Seibu Lions. Compared to last season, when he played in 107 games and recorded 11 Home Runs, this season had been a difficult period with only 2 Home Runs in 72 games (as of before the game), but in this game, he responded firmly to his selection.

◇ Yamamoto's Comment
"The pitch I hit was a two-seamer. Since one run was scored because of my mistake, I felt I had to make up for it. I'm glad I was able to get that one run back in my first at-bat and get off to a good start."