Nippon-Ham defeated Rakuten 5-2 to win its sixth straight game. Mizuno (水野) put Nippon-Ham ahead with a two-run timely hit in the first inning, and the team maintained its momentum with Reyes' 30th home run, a two-run shot, in the fifth.
Nippon-Ham took the initiative against Rakuten, scoring first in the first inning on Mizuno (水野)'s two-run timely hit. The teams continued to add runs, but Nippon-Ham held the lead through the late innings.
In the fifth, Reyes hit his 30th home run, a two-run shot, to extend Nippon-Ham's lead. The defense continued to hold firm in the latter stages of the game, which remained under Nippon-Ham's control.
Kitayama (北山) delivered a determined performance, allowing 2 runs over 8 innings to earn his 11th win. Yanagawa (柳川) recorded 23 saves as the bullpen held on to close out the game.