Katsuki Azuma (27), a pitcher for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in the Japanese professional baseball league, won 14 games of the season. For the first time in history, he won 10 consecutive games as a left-handed pitcher.
Azuma started the game against the Chunichi Dragons at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama, Japan on the 14th, throwing 106 pitches in 8⅓3 innings, and became the winning pitcher with seven hits (two home runs) and 10 strikeouts and three runs. With his 14th win of the season, he is tied for first place in the two major leagues along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix).
Azuma was hit with his right foot by his foul ball in the second inning at the batter’s box, but he pitched well until just before the complete pitch. He struck out three times, but hit a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs and runners on second and third base.
Azuma is 14-2 with a 2.17 ERA in 21 games this season. He is likely to be the most wins in the Central League. It is four wins apart from the joint second-place group (10 wins, six players) at the end of the season. It also seems possible to win first place in the winning rate (.875) and win two gold medals.안전놀이터
In addition, Azuma continued to win 10 consecutive games with the victory. It is the first left-handed pitcher in Yokohama’s history, surpassing Hiroki Nomura (9 consecutive wins) in 1993.
In addition, he achieved his third double-digit winning streak in the club’s history, following Endo’s 12th consecutive win in 1983 and Shimada’s 10th consecutive win in 1968. Azuma said, “It’s a pleasure to have a name on the team’s record. “I want to try to aim for a higher place,” he said.
Yokohama club SNS
Azuma finished with three outs in the first inning with two infield grounder and a strikeout. In the second inning, he allowed a hit after two outs, but finished the inning with a fly ball to right field and a strikeout. He continued his powerful pitch with three-way retreats in the third and fourth innings.
In the fifth inning, leading 1-0, he allowed a tie-breaking solo home run over the left fence. He got a hit after losing a point, but he overcame the crisis by striking out consecutively with one out and first base.
In the sixth inning with one out and runners on second base, he avoided losing a point with a swing and a foul fly to first baseman. He retired three times in the seventh inning and blocked the eighth inning without losing a point.
Ishikawa hit a double after one out in the top of the ninth inning ahead of a complete pitch, and Vissied allowed his second home run (two-run) of the day. He was replaced with an 8-3 lead.
Yokohama scored eight points by concentrating two home runs by Maki Shugo (solo, solo) and two home runs by foreign batter Soto (two runs, two runs). After two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead, Maki’s solo home run, Soto’s two-run home run, and Azuma’s two-run double exploded, taking the lead with five points and big innings.
Azuma said after the game, “I always wanted to make sure I threw the first strike. “Even if the runner got on base or was in the scoring position, I could certainly throw it, so I was able to suppress it with a minimum run until the eighth inning,” he said.
According to Chunichi Sports, Azuma thanked catcher Yamamoto several times in post-match interviews. “I wanted to throw the ball several times, and I thought I wanted to throw the ball after this ball, but it was good that the sign came out as it was,” he said. “(The 11th) is a victory for Yamamoto, who celebrated his 25th birthday. “I want to wear the same tie and win the best battery award together.”