Slider-fork, fork-fork, slider-slider-fork, slider-slider-fork, 'monster'Sasaki 10 consecutive breaking balls strike out 3 consecutive swings and misses, 7 scoreless innings in a different ball mix (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball)

Aug 31, 2024

Chiba Lotte Sasaki pitched seven innings of three hits and no runs against Softbank on the 30th. After two outs in the seventh inning, runners on the second and third bases were well overcome. Photo capture = Chiba Lotte Marines SNS

The other teams will be similar, but the Softbank Hawks are a very burdensome team to the Chiba Lotte Marines. Softbank is on the verge of winning its first Pacific League title in four years. It boasts the strongest power among the 12 teams in the Japanese professional baseball and both leagues. It is the only team that maintains a team win rate of around .60% (6337), and is overwhelmingly No. 1 in both team batting average, home run, and scoring.

Seven wins (1 draw and 13 losses) in 21 games against Softbank this season. He posted 16 wins (1 loss) over the Seibu Lions, and spread it to the first and second-place teams Softbank and the Nippon Ham Fighters (6 wins, 1 draw and 17 losses). It went to extremes against the top and bottom teams.

Softbank match at Chiba Marine Stadium on August 30. He struggled when he met the opposing starting pitcher Kohei Arihara. Arihara has lost 11 consecutive games since 2019, when he was a member of Nippon Ham. Chiba Lotte, which is competing for second place with Nippon Ham, needed a victory.

Chiba Lotte's 'Monster Pitcher'Sasaki Rocky (23) performed what manager Yoshii Masato and the team expected for the first time in a long time. He pitched seven innings of three hits and no runs against the Softbank batters. He won his seventh victory of the season in four games and a month. Throwing 101 pitches against 25 batters, he struck out seven and gave up two walks. led to a 6-2 victory. The batters also succeeded in targeting the killer Arihara 'Lotte'.

The pitch was strong from the beginning.

Daisei Makihara, the first batter in the top of the first inning. The first fastball hit 159 kilometers per hour. At the ball count of 2B2S, he put in a fast 160km/h ball. He then drew a swing and miss with a fork ball that fell to the low course in the middle of the full count.

He then treated No. 2 Imamiya with a fly ball to second base. He hit a fastball of 159 kilometers per hour on his third pitch. He threw three fork balls in 1S against No. 3 Ryoya Kurihara and struck out swinging.

He pitched overwhelmingly without a run crisis until the sixth inning, and sent out runners in the seventh inning after two outs in a row. No. 5 Kondo gave up a walk to Kensuke and got a double from No. 6 Tomoya Masaki. Second and third base with two outs. Takuya was treated with a fly ball to third base to complete the scoreless game.

Sasaki, who won his seventh game of the season in a month. In the match against Softbank on the 30th, he effectively targeted the opponent by increasing the proportion of sliders and folk balls. Photo capture = Chiba Lotte Marines SNS

At the end of the sixth inning, which ended with three-way withdrawal, he produced an impressive scene. He struck out three batters in a row, throwing 10 breaking balls in a row. Against No. 9 Shuto Ukyo, he threw a slider-fork ball-fork ball, a fork ball-fork ball-slider-fork ball, and a slider-slider-fork ball to Imamiya to induce a swing and miss.

Coach Yoshii said, `There were a lot of sliders, but I threw well with a different ball combination than usual.' The maximum speed of the day was 161 kilometers. Six out of seven strikeouts were caught by throwing fork balls to the decisive ball.

Sasaki threw it with the mindset of fighting back after struggling in the previous Softbank game. After consulting with the catcher, the slider chose to react to the opponent's batter. The fielders scored in the beginning, so I was able to throw at my pace."

Sasaki allowed three runs in five innings against Softbank on Aug. 8 and became a losing pitcher. He struck out nine and got nine hits.

There have been ups and downs recently. He started against Nippon Ham on August 15 and was substituted after one out in the second inning. He was replaced after being hit by an ankle by a ball. Fortunately, it was not a major injury. A week later, on August 22, he took the mound again against Nippon Ham and allowed four runs in six innings. He won his fourth loss of the season. He expected a bigger role in his fifth year of joining the team, but he left due to injury at the beginning of the season and showed a jagged performance.

The game against Softbank on Thursday was different.

Sasaki recorded a maximum speed of 161 km against Softbank on the 30th. The game was operated by increasing the proportion of breaking balls such as sliders and fork balls than usual. He said "I consulted with the catcher, looked at the opponent's batter's reaction, and threw a slider" Reporter Heo Sang-wook

Chiba Lotte's batters scored two runs by hitting four consecutive hits after two outs in the bottom of the second inning. He added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning with a 3-0 lead due to a walk, a timely hit, and an opponent's defense mistake.

Arihara, who was aiming to win his 12th game of the season, allowed five runs (four earned) in five innings and lost.

huelva@sportschosun.com