Crazy presence woke up the autumn DNA, four hits including two home runs, three RBIs, and ace pitched seven scoreless innings
Oct 11, 2025
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The first stage of the 2025 Central League Climax Series (CS) (best-of-two) facing the second-place Yokohama BayStars and the third-place Yomiuri Giants. Prior to the series, a Japanese baseball expert paid attention to the fourth batter of both teams, especially Kazuma Okamoto (29) of the Yomiuri Giants. That's inevitable. He played in 14 games against Yokohama this season and slammed the opponent's mound. He hit a batting average of 0.471 (24 in 51 at-bats) and posted seven home runs and 17 RBIs.
Okamoto, the three-time home run king, is a slugger who does not need a long explanation. He is the winner of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Japan and an infielder watched by major league clubs. He exceeded '30 Home Run' for the sixth consecutive year from 2018 to 2023. Yakult Swallows 'He is Japan's representative home run hitter along with Murakami Munetaka (25), a monster hitter.
Game 1 of the first stage at Yokohama Stadium on the 11th. While Okamoto was silent, Yokohama's No. 4 hitter Yoshitomo Tsutsugo (34) flew high. On the first day of the postseason, he hit '4 hits' including two home runs and scored three RBIs.
First at-bat in the bottom of the second inning. He was the leadoff hitter and fired a superior home run in the first place. Yomiuri Giants starter Iori Yamasaki (27), who was strong against Yokohama this season, hit a 122 km/h slider. With a 2-0 lead, two outs and runners on first and third bases in the bottom of the second inning. I gave a cool shot. He hit a timely RBI single that hit the right fence with one bound.
At the bottom of the sixth inning, when they were chased 3-2, I had another thrilling taste. He hit a home run to the left with no runners on with one out. He hit a fastball (146 km/h) on the outside for the seventh time in the full count. The ball that flew like a bullet hit the left pole. Three consecutive RBIs against Yamasaki.
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It's used in every scoring situation. Yokohama, where the fourth batter was active, won 6-2. If you catch one game, you go to the final stage. The first-place Hanshin Tigers are waiting. Of the 37 teams that have won the first round of the first stage so far, 31 have reached the final stage. In other words, Yokohama has an 84 percent chance. Tsutsugo "Miura emphasized the first point, which was a relief. Since Yomiuri is a strong team, we will prepare well for tomorrow as well."
Yokohama started the fall baseball season as third place last year, beating second-place Hanshin and first-place Yomiuri in succession to reach the Japan Series. He also grabbed the Pacific League winner, the Softbank Hawks, and stood at the top of the Japan Series.
Yokohama is gaining strength in autumn.
Tsutsugo, who struggled at the beginning of the season, came back to life in the second half. He has 30 hits, 14 homers and 33 RBIs in 33 games since August. He had two home runs and seven RBIs in the last three games of the pennant race. He took his best hit to the postseason. On the other hand, Okamoto finished the first game with no hits in three at-bats. He got on base once with a walk in the top of the second inning.
Tsutsugo, who was Yokohama's leading hitter, has had a hard time in recent years. He entered the Major League in 2019 and was out of the competition after glistening at the beginning. 3시즌
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He sought promotion from the minor leagues from 2023, but failed to get a chance again. In April last year, he gave up his major league challenge and returned to Yokohama. He played in 57 games last year and had a batting average of 0.188, seven homers and 23 RBIs.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific League, the second-place Nippon Ham Fighters won 2-0 against the third-place Orix Buffaloes. In both leagues, the top teams in the regular season started fresh. Nippon Ham starter Hiromi Ito (28) pitched four hits, nine strikeouts and no runs until the seventh inning. Ito, who won the most wins for two consecutive years, was included in the Japanese national team to play in an exhibition match against South Korea in November.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.