[Rakuten] Rui Muneyama becomes second rookie to reach 100 hit this season and contributes to win with excellent defense. “I hope I can keep my focus even more.” | Pacific League

[Rakuten] Rui Muneyama becomes the second rookie to achieve 100 hit this season and contributes to win with his excellent defense. “I hope I can tighten my resolve even more.”

Sports Hochi

2025.9.17(水) 22:59

Pacific League Rakuten 3x-Nippon-Ham (17th, Rakuten Mobile)

Rakuten infielder Rui Muneyama Rui, who started starting line-up the fifth batter and shortstop for the first time in four games, made a good turn at bat with one out and a runner on first in the fourth inning, connecting with Ito’s 144 km/h splitter for a hit to right field for his 100th hit of the season. Asamura then followed with an RBI doble down the left field line. He is the second rookie this year to do so, after Lotte’s Nishikawa, but he wasn’t complacent, saying, “Honestly, I’m not that worried about it. I’m just thinking about how I can improve my performance from now on.”

He is the fourth first-year Rakuten fielder to achieve 100 hit, following Mogi (118 hit) in 2016, Watanabe (110 hit) in 2007, and Kofuda (109 hit) in 2020. In his third at-bat with two outs in the sixth inning, he also hit a single to right field, bringing his total to 101 hit. On defense, he also made a great play in the sixth inning when the leadoff hitter hit a ball that was deflected by third baseman Murabayashi, quickly throw and throwing it to first base for the out. “I value the first step when the ball comes, so I think I was able to move with that in mind,” he reflected.

With Voit’s walk-off hit in the 11th extra inning, the team is now 2.5 games behind the third-place Orix, who are in the CS zone. “I think it’s going to be difficult to close the gap from here, so I hope we can win more games and stay even more focused,” he said, determined to win the game in front of him.

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・ [Rakuten] First-round draft Rui Muneyama Muneta is moved by Hideto Asamura ‘s 2,000th hit, “I hope to be able to show the same kind of performance in the future”