October 20, 18:00 NPB Yomiuri Yokohama
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The Yomiuri Giants, who successfully revived from the brink, challenge for a winning streak with Iori Yamazaki on the mound. Yamazaki, with a record of 10 wins, 6 losses, and a 2.81 ERA this year, is a pitcher who can be classified as having a powerful first half and a weakened second half. Despite having a strong record of 3 wins and a 3.00 ERA against DeNA this year, the reason for his delay seems to be the rapid decline in the power of his pitches during the second half. The Yomiuri lineup scored 4 runs against DeNA's pitchers in the previous game, but as reflected by their 6 hits, there are serious issues with their batting. Notably, none of the 4 runs were driven in by timely hits, with 3 of them coming due to defensive errors from the opponent, which remains an ongoing concern. The bullpen, which held off for 3 scoreless innings, will likely be fully utilized.
The Yokohama DeNA BayStars, who suffered a loss due to the struggles of their batting lineup, aim to end the series with Haruhiro Hamaguchi on the mound. Hamaguchi has a record of 2 wins, 4 losses, and a 3.25 ERA in 11 appearances this year, and he has not been able to overcome his control issues at all. Although he won against Yomiuri in Niigata with a performance of 6 innings and 1 earned run, he is not a good pitcher in dome games, making it hard to hold high hopes for his performance. The DeNA lineup scored only once in the previous game, with Yasutaka Toba's solo home run in the 6th inning being their only run, indicating a continued decline in overall offensive power. Therefore, alternative scoring opportunities beyond home runs are hard to expect. Fortunately, the bullpen managed to pitch 1.2 perfect innings.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Yomiuri literally came back from the dead in the previous game. However, it may be difficult to say that their performance has fully recovered. While they managed to convert the situation created by the opponent's mistakes into a victory, it seems that expecting the struggling DeNA lineup to revive is challenging. The Yomiuri Giants, with their stronger starting pitching, appear to be closer to victory.
Expected score: 4-2, Yomiuri wins
Win 1 loss: Yomiuri wins
Handicap: DeNA wins
Over Under: Over