Luke Voit of the Rakuten Eagles is congratulated by teammates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning of a Pacific League baseball game against the Nippon Ham Fighters on Aug. 30, 2025, at Es Con Field Hokkaido in Kitahiroshima, just outside Sapporo. (Kyodo)
KITAHIROSHIMA, Hokkaido (Kyodo) — Former New York Yankees slugger Luke Voit went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs, leading the Rakuten Eagles to a 6-2 win over the Nippon Ham Fighters on Saturday.
Voit, who joined the Pacific League club just weeks before the All-Star break, began his big game with a solo shot in the opening frame, his eighth home run of the season.
He then drove in one run each with a double in the third and a single in the seventh at Es Con Field Hokkaido.
Rakuten leadoff man Daisuke Nakajima also made a major contribution to the win, having four hits, stealing two bases and scoring three times.
Ren Kajiya (2-1) won in relief. Nippon Ham starter Takayuki Kato (8-6) gave up four runs in six innings.
Among the day’s other games, Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami hit three home runs in a 5-4 win over the Hiroshima Carp.
AloJapan.com