SoftBank Hawks reach 80 wins with victory over Lotte Marines

The SoftBank Hawks defeated the Chiba Lotte Marines 5-4 at Mizuho PayPay Dome, marking the fastest 80 wins in both leagues this season. The victory reduces the championship magic number to 7. New foreign pitcher Lattridge earned his first professional win in Japan, pitching 5 innings and allowing only one run in his debut.

Despite the win, SoftBank outfielder Shuko Shuto left the game in the ninth inning after injuring his left hamstring while attempting a diving catch. Shuto stated the injury felt like a snag on the turf but did not appear to be a severe muscle tear and planned to seek medical attention.

For the Chiba Lotte Marines, the loss resulted in a drop to fifth place in the standings. Lotte's Fumihito Nishikawa provided a late spark with a two-run double in the ninth inning, but the team could not complete the comeback. Nishikawa expressed a desire for further growth, specifically focusing on increasing his extra-base hits despite his strong batting average.