Baseball: A Two-Way Player-Chapter 621 - 158: Offensive Battle Toward the Final Japan’s Number One! (2)

Just as Supervisor Kodama Komei said in the meeting, the key to winning this game lies in which team's lineup can perform better—and when it comes to explosive and coordinated lineups, the players of the SoftBank Team have never been afraid of anyone!

In the bottom of the first inning, the SoftBank lineup, brimming with energy, counterattacked forcefully. Starting from Imamiya Kenta, the leadoff hitter of the game, five consecutive batters hit singles. In the blink of an eye, the score was tied. They then used a bunting strategy to take the lead, rewriting this seventh game of the series to 4-2.

The strong offensive performance in the first inning set the tone for the game. In the subsequent innings, players from both teams displayed their skills. The SoftBank Team's 2-run lead was quickly caught up by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Then, they retook and lost the lead again, with the score alternating thereafter.

Amid the back-and-forth, the atmosphere at the Yahoo Dome heated up further: SoftBank fans, standing together in solidarity with their team, roared with such fervor that the waves of yellow, white, and black in the stands seemed almost to swallow people whole; some, in the heat of the moment, even took off their shirts in the cold autumn night, baring their chests and shouting with raised arms. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

This feverish atmosphere only began to mellow as the game entered the final stages:

On Eagle's Vision electronic scoreboard, the current score is 8-7—in this home game, the SoftBank Team seized the lead again thanks to their offensive rally in the bottom of the sixth inning.

As the seventh inning was about to start, the noisy Yahoo Dome suddenly fell silent. Everyone, from the fans on the stands to members of both teams, realized that the match had entered its most critical moment.

Aware of the importance of each inning from here on, especially Valuing his ability to sense shifts in the game's momentum and adjust accordingly, Kodama Komei gestured swiftly, commanding his ace closers to warm up.

Igarashi Ryouta and Dennis Sarfate each stood up from their seats in the players' area, their expressions solemn as they walked toward the bullpen. At such a vital juncture deciding the fate of the entire season, Kodama Komei couldn't afford to worry about bullpen depletion; his only goal now was to hold onto that 1-run lead at all costs, defeat the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and advance to Japan's Number One!

According to Kodama Komei's initial plan, once Iwakami Shou finishes pitching the seventh inning, Igarashi Ryouta would come on as the set-up pitcher, while Sarfate, who secured a league-leading 43 saves this season, would close it out for the team—this sequence of strategies has been an unbeatable winning formula for the SoftBank Team in many past games.

If the performance of Mori Yuudou, who was also considered a top bullpen option, hadn't badly slumped in the second half of the season, making Kodama Komei reluctant to trust him at such a critical time, he could be even more composed now.

However, something Kodama Komei hadn't anticipated occurred—

In the top of the seventh inning, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, facing adversity, mounted another remarkable comeback. Under the replacement of Shetsu Shou, long reliever Iwakami Shou, they seized a mistake in the opponent's lineup. They hit consecutive singles in two at-bats while exploiting a bunting strategy to create a situation where there was one out with runners on second and third.

This unexpected turn forced Kodama Komei to send Igarashi Ryouta, who was supposed to be the best pitcher for the eighth-inning setup, to deal with the situation early. Though Igarashi admirably handled the job and suppressed the impending Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters' offensive, a new issue arose:

Who would close the ninth inning?

At 37 years old, Igarashi Ryouta could only handle one inning at most; after this inning, he should be replaced. Although Sarfate is a strong closer, letting a fastball-type closer face more batters clearly poses a higher risk of exposure. With only a 1-run lead, Kodama Komei didn't want to take that risk either.

Looking back at the bullpen pitchers, Kodama Komei's gaze swept over each face, and he realized that he couldn't find someone he could completely entrust with the team's fate at this moment.

While Kodama Komei was pacing back and forth on the open ground before the bench, troubled by this problem, Lin Guanglai patted him on the shoulder and said:

"Supervisor, I'd like to act as the closer for the top of the ninth inning!"

"Oh right, how could I forget this option!" Turning around and slightly raising his head, Kodama Komei looked up at the tall Lin Guanglai with joy in his heart—who could be more reliable than Lin Guanglai, the five-time pitcher champion and two-time Eiji Sawamura Award winner?

However, considering that Lin Guanglai is different from others due to his dual skills, Kodama Komei also expressed his concern: "Guanglai, your batting and base running losses in this game weren't small either. How's your stamina right now?"

Evidently, Lin Guanglai was confident, patting his chest repeatedly and assuring: "Don't worry, Supervisor, my stamina is still adequate. The designated hitter's losses aren't that significant—I will definitely help the team hold onto this 1-run lead, please trust me and my teammates!"

"Alright then, go warm up in the bullpen now—the ninth inning is counting on you!" Sensing the confidence in Lin's eyes cleared the final worry in Kodama Komei's heart. He gestured and announced the decision.

Furthermore, he didn't forget to turn and instruct the batters scheduled for the next at-bat: "In the bottom of the eighth, whether or not you score, try to delay as much time as you can—the longer you delay, the more adequately Lin warms up, and the greater our chances of winning this game and advancing to Japan's Number One!"

The fans near the bullpen were the first to notice this change, and when they saw Lin Guanglai walking into the bullpen to warm up, realizing what would happen, they let out overwhelming cheers. To the home fans of the SoftBank, Lin Guanglai's arrival meant that the only suspense left in this game was whether the earlier teammates could hold on to the 1-run lead, as Lin Guanglai would never fail.

The commotion on some stands gradually evolved into a full-blown celebration, particularly after Sarfate held off the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters' offense in the top of the eighth and preserved the 1-run lead. Under the lead of the fans association, more than forty thousand fans at the scene chanted in unison:

"Lin Guanglai—Lin Guanglai—Lin Guanglai—!!!"

The thunderous momentum soon attracted the attention of players on Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from the third base side. It was only then they realized the pitcher they would face in the final inning remained that insurmountable mountain!

Noticing some teammates losing morale, Ohtani Shohai calmly donned his hitting gear and protectors and quickly moved to the batter's deck, swinging his bat.

In the top of the ninth, he would be the leadoff batter, and at this moment, a fighting spirit was burning fiercely within him!

When Lin Guanglai finished warming up and slowly walked toward the pitcher's mound in the center of the field, the stadium's loudspeakers timely played his exclusive pitcher's entrance music; stirring melodies, rhythmic clapping from the fans, and deafening cheers composed a harmonious symphony.

Closing his eyes to settle his mind, and after adjusting himself, Lin Guanglai swiftly opened his eyes again, a fiery gleam in his lion-like pupils—he was ready to claim his third Japan's Number One title!