His first professional home run in 4 years at 0→CS, a 22-year-old backup who saved the cliff edge Yomiuri, and three consecutive hits after 11 hits (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball)

Oct 21, 2024

Yomiuri's Nakayama hit the winning home run in Game 5 of the Central League Final Stage against Yokohama at Tokyo Dome on the 20th. He went out as the leadoff hitter in the fifth inning and hit a high fastball to make it a superior one-run home run. Yomiuri only had three hits, but thanks to this home run, he won 1-0 to make the series 3-3 overall. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Yomiuri Giants infielder Nakayama Raito (22) is a player who is far from home runs. After graduating from Zhukyo High School in 2021, he joined and did not hit a home run in official games for four years. There were not many opportunities to play in the first team. He made his first-team debut in the second year of 2022 and played in 160 games mostly as a pinch hitter or logistical. This year, he stayed in the second division for a longer time. He played 32 games in the first team and 67 games in the second team.

Of the 73 hits recorded in the regular season, 10 were long balls (9 doubles and 1 triple). a career slugging percentage of 268. He hit 44 hits this year, and three are doubles.

The Central League Climax Series Final Stage (best-of-four) against the third-place Yokohama BayStars. Nakayama had one hit until Game 4. He had no hits in 11 at-bats and hit a right-handed hit in the last at-bat of the seventh inning of Game 4 on the 19th. It was the first hit that became a stepping stone to come from behind in the 1-1 tie. In this match, Yomiuri won the game 4-1.

Throughout the series, the gap between the main second baseman and Naoki Yoshikawa is felt greatly. Yoshikawa, who ranked No. 1 in batting (287) and No. 1 in hits (154) in the team, left due to injury, weakening the lineup. In the first to third games, Yomiuri only scored two points with a total of 14 hits. It was so frustrating that coach Abe Shinnosuke joked, `I feel like I want to play as a pinch hitter.'

Nakayama entered the vacancy of Yoshikawa in the fifth game held at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday. He started as a 7th-2nd baseman. Yomiuri, who has won three consecutive games and one, continued to stand on the edge of the cliff.

The first at-bat hit in the second inning with one out and one on the first base. He went out on a right-handed hit. He hit his team's first hit. Two subsequent hitters struck out in a row. I didn't take advantage of the opportunity. After Nakayama's first hit, eight hitters retired with consecutive miscues. Three or four times in a row.

In the fifth inning, when the score was tied 0-0, leadoff hitter Nakayama broke the tight balance. Nakayama hit his first home run in an official professional game that no one expected.

Yomiuri, which had been driven by three consecutive losses, survived by grabbing all four and five games. It started with the league's No. 1 advantage and made the series 3-3 overall. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Ball count 1B. Yokohama right-hander Yasuaki Yamasaki, who was replaced, poked a 147km/h fastball to the high course. He pulled the ball and flew it to the stands on the right side of the Tokyo Dome. The final home run that made it a 1-0 win.

Nakayama, who was running wild, confirmed that the ball flew over the fence and raised his right fist. Nakayama said, `I'm happy that my active swing became a home run.'

Three hits in a row from the last at-bat of Game 4. He said he is thoroughly analyzing the opposing pitcher's pitch type and data and taking the batter's box on the advice of senior Yoshihiro Maru.

The backup player, who was in and out of the first and second divisions, saved the team with a dramatic shot. Nakayama is the first player to hit his first professional home run in the climax series. Abe, who served as the head coach of the second division, laughed, saying, `I've been watching him since his first year in the army, and I've never seen him like that before.' Japanese media said Nakayama gained 4kg last offseason. 1m82-86kg.

On this day, Yomiuri had three hits and won. Nakayama hit two of them. Turbulence makes a hero.

Yomiuri, who finished fourth for two consecutive years, ranked first in the Central League this season, which started under coach Abe. He is aiming to advance to the Japan Series for the first time in four years. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

After three consecutive losses, two wins in a row. Yomiuri, which started with one win in the league's No. 1 advantage, made the series all-around 3 wins and 3 losses. Whether or not to advance to the Japan Series will be decided in Game 6 on the 21st. If Yomiuri wins, it's the first Japanese series in four years, and if Yokohama wins, it's the first time in seven years. The Pacific League went up with the Softbank Hawks winning three consecutive games against the Nippon Ham Fighters.

huelva@sportschosun.com