[Rakuten] Kosei Shoji: "We can't lose" to Asamura Hideto Asamura 's 2,000th hit game, his first win in 390 days | Pacific League

１回２死満塁、清宮幸太郎を抑えてほえる荘司康誠　（カメラ・上村　尚平）

◆ Pacific League Rakuten 2-1 Nippon-Ham (24th, Rakuten Mobile)

Rakuten pitcher Kosei Shoji started against Nippon-Ham and gave up five hit and one runs in six innings, earning his first win in 390 days since the game against Lotte on April 29th of last year (ZOZO).

In the first inning, he allowed a hit to Asama in the leadoff spot, putting runners on first and bases loaded with one out, but Mizuno struck out swinging struck out and Sachi Kiyomiya grounded out to second to end the inning with a no-runs. In the bottom of the inning, the team’s bats scored two runs on Asamura’s leadoff single and Muneyama’s RBI single. In the fourth inning, Shoji hit a grounder to Manha at third base with one out, but the third base runner scored to runs the 1st. After throwing six innings, he was replaced by Kajiya at second and hoped for win on the bench.

Having had surgery to clean his right elbow in September last year, he had been a winless starter in the two games he had played up until this game. “I’m really happy. I put a lot of effort into it,” he said, savoring the joy. This was a memorial game in which Asamura achieved his 2,000th career hit in the first inning. “I thought to myself that I absolutely couldn’t lose. On top of that, I had to pitch even better than that. I made that decision. It gave me confidence, or rather, I felt good about my performance, so I want to keep doing it,” he said, showing his enthusiasm for his second win.

Related News

・ [Rakuten] Manager Hajime Miki congratulates Hideto Asamura on his 2,000th hit: “I was truly honored to be present at that moment and would like to express my respect.”
・ [Rakuten] First-round draft Rui Muneyama Muneta is moved by Hideto Asayama’s 2,000th hit, “I hope to be able to show the same kind of performance in the future”
・ [Nippon-Ham] Manager Shinjo congratulates Asamura on his 2,000th hit, saying, “He’s going to hit a long ball to right-center field. He’s always a scary batter.”
・ Yuki Awanawa, wife of Rakuten ‘s Hideto Asamura, congratulates her husband on hitting 2,000 hit! … She also thanks the fans, saying, “Your support gave us strength.”
・ [Rakuten] Hideto Asamura took to the podium in tears, saying, “It was long and tough.” After reaching 2,000 hit, he said, “I didn’t mean to cry, but a lot of thoughts came to mind.”