Hokkaido Nippon-Ham fell 0–1 to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on August 10 at Mizuho PayPay Dome, despite a dominant performance from ace Ito. The right-hander went the distance over eight innings, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out 11. It was his fifth complete game of the season and his first since his June 20 shutout, yet it ended in his sixth loss.
The decisive moment came in the third inning with two outs and a runner on second. On a 1-1 count, Kondo drove a low fastball into the left-center gap for an RBI double. Ito later admitted he should have been more aggressive inside, noting that while he respects Kondo, he must treat him strictly as an opponent in those spots.
From there, Ito was nearly untouchable, yielding only one more hit the rest of the way. Working with catcher Fushimi, he leaned on a speed-variation approach he began incorporating on August 3 against Orix, finding a strong rhythm after the early innings. Fushimi praised the outing, calling it another sign of growth.
Looking ahead, Nippon-Ham opens another head-to-head set with SoftBank on August 22. If the rotation stays on normal six-day rest, a rematch with Moinelo is likely. Ito welcomes that challenge, saying that if he keeps the opponent at zero, they can’t lose, and he wants the next duel to end in a win he can truly call fun. After recent concerns about fatigue, this start suggested he’s trending upward.
Additional comments:
– In NPB, a pitcher can be credited with a complete game in a loss if he throws all of his team’s defensive innings, even if that totals eight when the home team doesn’t bat in the ninth. Ito’s efficiency and stamina stood out under those terms.
– The lone mistake to Kondo highlights the razor-thin margin in one-run games. Ito’s emphasis on owning the inner half, especially against a familiar former teammate, is a logical adjustment and bodes well for their next meeting.
– The evolving fastball-change of speed profile since early August appears to be improving both his strikeout power and in-game rhythm. That’s a positive sign heading into late-season matchups.
Summary:
– SoftBank 1, Nippon-Ham 0 at Mizuho PayPay Dome.
– Ito: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 11 K, credited with his fifth complete game of the year.
– Only damage: Kondo’s two-out RBI double in the third.
– Catcher Fushimi lauds Ito’s growth with a varied-velocity approach adopted on August 3.
– Possible rematch with Moinelo in the August 22 series; Ito aims to turn the duel into a winning one.