Kotaro Kiyomiya is the first solo player in 17 games in the 4th inning and the perfect 6th solo in the 6th inning.
■ Giants 8-4 Nippon-Ham (Interleague Play, 28th, Sapporo Dome)
Nippon-Ham Fighter Kotaro Kiyomiya infielder hit two home runs in a row at the Giants match held at Sapporo Dome on the 28th. The team lost the game in a come-from-behind defeat, and the winning streak stopped at 2, reaching the league’s fastest 30 losses, but the light shown by the young cannon. Director Tsuyoshi Shinjo, who acknowledged his growth, dared to seek a higher level.
It was a beautiful trajectory like Kiyomiya. First of all, the first solo No. 5 in 17 games, carrying the shoemaker’s high 143km two-seam to the right wing seat without death four times. From 2-4, 6th inning, 1 death, this time he perfectly captured the sweet straight ball of the first ball and carried it to the middle stage of the right wing seat.
The first at-bat for the first time was a two-seam swing and a grounder. It was successful for him to be aware of foreign pitchers who move the ball, “Metsuke should be high and low should be as low as possible.” “I was surprised,” said the big boss, who had his eyes rounded. “I felt at bat that I was regarding to go for another one. I think he was the most happy.”
Before the match that day, Big Boss entrusted head coach Takaya Hayashi with a “message” to Kiyomiya. “Let’s go for the sweet ball of the first ball once more.” Once once more, he confirmed that he had been saying sourly from the camp. As the word says, the second arch was decided without missing the sweet ball of the first ball. He nodded, “I think it was in my head. I can afford to strike the first ball, and the bat comes out obediently.”
