Moinelo vs. Hiromi Ito is Pacific League ‘s signature matchup for 2025! [Review of the 6-game series] | Pacific League League.com

In 2025, Fukuoka Softbank won the Japan Series for the first time in five years. The team that competed with the champions throughout the season was the second-place Hokkaido Nippon-Ham.

The regular season match record was 13 wins and 12 losses for Fukuoka Softbank, with one win. Of the 25 matches, 6 were against Fukuoka Softbank. Moinelo pitcher and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Ham Fighters Hiromi Ito It was a duel between pitcher. Let’s take a look back at the six games in which some of the best pitcher in Pacific League faced off.

(1) 4/1 Moinero scored win in 7 innings with 1 runs, and the hawk batting line scored 5 runs from Hiromi Ito

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 1-5 Fukuoka Softbank Hawks (ES CON FIELD)
pitcher Moinelo: 7 innings, 2 hits hit, 6 strike out, 2 Hit by Pitch 1 runs
pitcher Hiromi Ito: 5 innings, 9 hits hit, 4 strike out BB 5 runs

Both pitcher made their first appearance of the season on April 1st. Ito was given the starting role in the opening game at their home stadium, ES CON FIELD, but was caught out by Fukuoka Softbank batting lineup right from the start.

First time Yuki Yanagita The team allowed the first run with a timely hit by a player, and the next two innings Ukyo Shuto With the players Akira Nakamura In the 5th inning, Yanagida and Kenta Imamiya The team was hit by a player and suffered a shocking loss, giving up five runs in the fifth inning.

With the support, pitcher Moinelo Yuki Nomura Although he gave up a solo home run, he didn’t allow runner in scoring position after that. He pitched seven innings, closer just two hit one runs, beating pitcher Ito and earning his first win of the season.

・ 4/1 FH Highlights

(2) On April 29th, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters won the extra inning innings. Hiromi Ito pitched a passionate game, throwing 130 pitches in 9 innings and allowing only one runs

● Fukuoka Softbank 1-2 Hokkaido Nippon-Ham ○ (MIZUHO PayPay Dome)
Moinero pitcher: 7 innings hit 4 strike out 7 BB 3 runs 1
Hiromi Ito pitcher: 9 innings hit 5 strike out 9 vs. 4 Hit by Pitch 0 runs 1

MIZUHO PayPay Dome The second throwing match that took place. pitcher Ito gave up the first run in the second inning with a solo Home Run by Hotaka Yamakawa, but after that, he didn’t even let him hit repeatedly. On the other hand, Moinero pitcher also blocked the offensive batting line of No. 1 Reyes and No. 2 Yuya Gunji to just 1 hit until the 6th inning.

In the top of the 7th inning, Moinero allowed hit to Nomura in the lead of the inning pitcher. When he was in a pinch with one out, first and second base, pinch hitter Kengo Yoshida timely doble tied the score 1-1. Still, he blocked Hokkaido Nippon-Ham ‘s squeeze and did not give up a winning run and scored 1 runs in the 7th inning. Moinero pitcher commented, “The opponent is a very good pitcher, and it was really good that we were able to throw against that kind of pitcher and create a good game.”

On the other hand, pitcher Ito went to mound at the end of the game when the score was tied. He was hit single hit in the 7th and 9th innings, but the follow-up was cut off, and the game went into extra inning games. Then, in the top of the 10th inning of the extra inning, the leading Tatsuki Mizuno player jumped out to Home Run. Behind it is Seigi Tanaka pitcher closer, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham reversal win. pitcher Ito, who had a pitch of 130 pitches and 1 runs in the ninth inning, won his third consecutive victory.

・ 4/29 H-F Highlights

(3) May 20th: Moinelo wins five straight games to start the season, while Hiromi Ito pitches complete game loss.

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham 2-5 Fukuoka Softbank ○（ES CON FIELD)
Moinello pitcher: 7 times 被hit 6 strike out 3 BB 4 runs 2
Hiromi Ito pitcher: 9 times Won hit 7 strike out 6 BB 2 runs 5 (earned runs 4)

In the third pitching duel, Moinello pitcher won his fifth straight since the start of the season with a 2 runs in the seventh inning. 2nd inning, Torai Fushimi Hokkaido Nippon-Ham He hit a two-run double in the second inning, the first time this season that he had multiple runs against a player, but he persevered pitch to achieve the HQS. He called for a comeback by his team’s batting lineup.

In contrast, Ito pitcher had a perfect start in the 3rd inning. However, in the 5th inning Taisei Makihara However, the score was tied in the 5th inning with a timely triple by Ito, and in the 6th inning, Ito got his first professional win. Akira Kawase Home Run He threw 117 pitches in 9 innings, but lost the game complete game with 5 runs (earned runs 4).

​5/20 F-H Highlights

(4) August 10th: Moinelo pitches a shutout game with 13 strikeouts and beats Hiromi Ito

○ Fukuoka Softbank 1-0 Hokkaido Nippon-Ham ●(MIZUHO PayPay Dome)
Moinero pitcher: 9 innings hit 3 strike out 13 Yoshi Hit by Pitch 2 runs 0
Hiromi Ito pitcher:8 times hit 4 strike out 11 BB 2 runs 1

The fourth pitching match of the season was a pitcher match suitable for the battle for the top spot.

Moinero pitcher only had two runner in the first four inning, Hit by Pitch four. After allowing the first hit in the 5th inning with struck out in a row, he overwhelmed with strike out every time until the 8th inning. The support of his teammates only scored one goal, but it was enough for Moinero pitcher on this day. It was a tense game and shutout game win for the second time this season. He reached 10 wins in the season for the second year in a row.

On the other hand, pitcher Ito gave up the first run in the third inning on a timely doble by Kensuke Kondo, but did not allow hit in the middle of the game. Although he pitched complete game loss, he showed his determination by striking out 11 struck out in eight innings.

・ 8/10 HF Highlights

(5) August 24th: Will the match surpass the previous one?! A thrilling pitcher duel

○ Hokkaido Nippon-Ham 1x-0 Fukuoka Softbank ●(ES CON FIELD)
Moinero pitcher: 8 innings hit 5 strike out 6 BB 4 runs 0
Hiromi Ito pitcher: 9 times hit 7 strike out 11 BB 2 runs 0

Two weeks after the battle for the top spot in Fukuoka. ES CON FIELD But a good game was played.

pitcher Ito was hit consecutively from two outs in the first inning, but Nakamura was struck out. In the 3rd inning, with 2 outs on 1st and 2nd base, Yamakawa was hit with a right fly. From the 4th to the 5th inning, he scored 4 consecutive struck out and did not runs in the 7th and 8th innings with runner in scoring position. He threw 129 pitches and struck out closer inning 9.

Moinero pitcher had two hit outs and bases loaded in three innings, but Yua Tamiya Hitting a player to double play. After the 6th inning, he gave up runner with Walk but survived with no runs. “I was very tired, but I think I was able to pitch in my own way, and I’m glad I was able to make a good pitch in an important game,” he said, pitching pitcher games with a runs pitch and 126 pitches in the eighth inning.

・ 8/24 F-H Highlights

(6) On September 9th, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham scored 7 points from Moinelo!

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham 7-4 Fukuoka Softbank ● (ES CON FIELD)
Moinello pitcher: 5.2 times 被hit 8 strike out 6 BB 3 runs 7
Hiromi Ito pitcher: 7 times 被hit 6 strike out 7 与四Hit by Pitch 0 runs 3

September 9, the sixth time the two pitchers met, was an impressive game, with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham hitting lineup struggling against Moinello pitcher.

Moinello pitcher had made seven starts against Hokkaido Nippon-Ham including the game he pitched against Ito pitcher, all of which resulted in QS. However, on this day, he was used immediately starting line-up after his promotion. Yuma Imagawa player, gave up a timely doble and solo arch to left-center field. In addition, the rookie Shu Yamagata The rookie made the crowd go wild with two home run hits in a row.

Ito pitcher was protected by the reliable support of his teammates, and although he lost the first run in the 2nd inning, he put up a tenacious “0” lineup from the 3rd inning onward and picked up his league-leading 14th win on 125 pitches runs in 7 innings.

​9/9 F-H Highlights

Moinello pitcher won the Best ERA Award for the second year in a row, and Ito pitcher won the Sawamura Award for the first time after winning the most wins strike out and the most . We look forward to another hot pitcher battle between the two pitcher in 2026.

Text by Ayako Kikuchi