A walk runner with confidence in a home run in the 11th inning of extra time...The home run king bowed his head, his team lost in the 12th inning of extra time, and Hanshin, the league's No. 1 player, fell for six consecutive losses (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball)

Jun 16, 2025

Hanshin No. 4 hitter Sato added sophistication to his powerful power this season. As of the 16th, he is No. 1 in home runs, No. 2 in RBIs and No. 5 in batting average. However, on the 15th, he left a regret due to his negligent base running play in the 11th inning of the extended game against Rakuten. Photo capture = Hanshin Tigers SNS

Sato is expected to break Okamoto and Murakami's home run king composition this season. With Okamoto and Murakami out due to injuries, they hit 18 home runs, ranking first in both leagues in total. Photo capture = Hanshin Tigers SNS

Hanshin Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato (26) is running toward the home run king with a scary speed. He hit 18 home runs in 63 games until the 16th, making Central, Pacific, and both leagues a "top". He hit seven more than his junior Morishita Shuta and Maki Shugo (Yokohama BayStars), who tied for second place in the Central League. The solid structure between Kazuma Okamoto (Yomiuri Giants) and Munetaka Murakami (Yakurt Swallows) was broken.

Okamoto and Murakami shared the home run king for five years from 2020, but this year, the two left side by side due to injuries. Coincidentally, the injury or injury recurred in Hanshinjeon. Okamoto, who recorded eight, had his first-team registration removed shortly after the Hanshin War on May 6. We look to return after August. Murakami made his first appearance of the season against Hanshin on April 17 and was replaced during the game. The next day, he was out of the team due to injury.

5th year of joining under the first nomination in 2021. This year, it has increased its power and accuracy. Not only homers but also RBIs are competing for the top spot. He has 46 RBIs, ranking second after Morisita (47 RBIs). He is also fifth with a batting average of 0.285. You can also aim for a home run, RBI and batting average of three gold medals.

Rakuten Mobile Park in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture on the 15th. For Hanshin No. 4 hitter Sato, the away game between the Rakuten Eagles and the Interleague (exchange match) will likely remain a long-lost memory. Hanshin suffered a painful walk-off loss in the bottom of the 12th inning of overtime. It was a game where Sato could change the result.

Hanshin, who was being dragged 0-2, tied the game 2-2 in the seventh inning. Both teams went all out, and the tense flow went to extra time. Sato was the leadoff hitter in the top of the 11th inning

Kurokawa, who hit a walk-off hit in the bottom of the 12th inning of extra time, cheers. Rakuten won the game against Hanshin for 14-15 consecutive days. Photo capture = Rakuten Eagles SNS

Went out. Hit a fork ball thrown by opposing right-hander Masahiro Ehara at ball count 1B1S. The ball extended over the center fielder's head. Convinced of a home run, Sato slowly ran toward first base.

The ball, which was flying cool, disappointed Sato's expectations and hit the fence, not the stands. Sato, who was running for a walk, had no choice but to stop at first base. If he had a normal base run, it could have been second base with no outs.

No. 5 Yusuke Oyama hit a left-handed hit to first and second bases with no outs. One shot could have changed the flow, but the worst situation unfolded. Three batters from No. 6 to No. 8 were out with a fly ball in the outfield in succession. A golden opportunity flew away in an instant.

Rakuten, who overcame the crisis, finished the game with three consecutive hits after one out in the bottom of the 12th inning. With one out and runners on the first and third bases, pinch hitter Fumiya Kurokawa hit a ground ball toward the second base. Hanshin second baseman Takumu Nakano caught the ball and threw it home, but failed to stop the third baseman who jumped home.

photo capture=Rakuten Eagles SNS

Hanshin, the league leader, had a sudden break in the interleague. Hanshin also suffered a 5-4 walk-off loss in the 10th inning of extra time to Rakuten the previous day (14th). On the 10th and 12th, he was swept by the Seibu Lions in three consecutive games, and he gave up all three consecutive games to Rakuten. In the first week of the Interleague, he won five games (one loss) in six games and was mired in consecutive losses. It is the first six consecutive losses of the season and the second consecutive sweep loss in three years.

The shock was even greater because the opponent was a mid-to-lowest team in the Pacific League. As of Tuesday, Seibu is third and Rakuten is fifth. Strangely, the game gets twisted when you meet Rakuten. Hanshin has lost seven consecutive games to Rakuten since 2023.

After six consecutive away games, Hanshin will play six consecutive home games against Chiba Lotte Marines and Softbank Hawks from the 17th. If he is sluggish in the last week of the interleague, he may lose the top spot in the league. Hanshin is 2.5 games ahead of the second-place Yokohama BayStars.

The Pacific League is strong again this year. Six Pacific League teams are ranked first to sixth in the interleague. The Pacific League team led by a large margin with 41 wins and 29 losses. 소프트뱅크가 8승1

photo capture=Rakuten Eagles SNS

Orix Buffaloes and Nippon Ham Fighters are tied for second with 7 wins and 5 losses. The Yomiuri Giants of the Central League have 3 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses, ranking last out of 12 teams.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.