The top of the fifth inning began with the lower part of the batting order, No. 7 batter Imanaka, leading off. He swung at a high fastball on a one-and-two pitch, and the ball flew unsteadily behind second base. Our second baseman, the foreign player Thomas Lawrie, tried his best to get back under it, but the ball hit his glove and dropped. An error light flickered on the scoreboard, signaling no outs and a runner on second base. We were unexpectedly in a pinch.
Next up was the weaker No. 8 batter, catcher Takadai. Given the significant deficit, he didn't bunt and instead took a hitting stance. With the count at two balls and two strikes, Takadai fouled off the fifth pitch but made contact on the sixth, sending the ball high behind third base. I thought it would be caught, but cruelly, it landed right in the middle of third, short, and left field. It was a Texas Leaguer. Now, there were runners on first and third with no outs—a big crisis.
Pitching coach Tsudanuma came out for a mound visit. Despite the precarious situation, with a substantial lead, it seemed Iijima would continue pitching. The next batter, No. 9 Yamagata, hit the fourth pitch with an 0-2 count behind shortstop. Shortstop Arai easily caught it, marking the first out with runners still on first and third. Up next was the leadoff hitter, Kishi.
Kishi, a tenacious batter, worked the count full and fouled off the seventh pitch. He finally connected with a slider right down the middle, but the ball was hit straight to center field. The runner on third couldn't advance, making it two outs. If Iijima could get one more out, he would complete five innings and be eligible for the win.
The second batter, Nukaga, stepped up. Known for his resilient batting and ability to hit long balls, Nukaga held on and walked on the ninth pitch. With two outs, the bases were loaded, creating a tense situation. The powerful hitter Kurosawa was next. A five-tool player, Kurosawa could hit from a wide range, had impressive power, speed, defense, and arm strength. He was the type of player I aspired to be.
The infielders gathered on the mound, but the pitching coach didn't come out, indicating no substitution. Given the score difference, Iijima was given a chance. Despite facing a formidable hitter in a high-stakes moment, Iijima's expression remained calm, a testament to his experience.
Iijima's first pitch was a slider low and on the outside corner, a strike at the last minute. The second pitch was a high inside curveball, courageous but slightly off course, making it 1-1. The third pitch was a low outside fastball, which Kurosawa watched, bringing the count to 2-1. Walking Kurosawa would force in a run and bring up the dangerous Okamura and Brandon, so Iijima needed an out here. The fourth pitch, a high middle fastball, was fouled off behind first base.
With a 2-2 count, Iijima threw a low outside slider. Kurosawa swung, getting under the ball and sending it to left field. Nishitani, our fast left fielder, chased it with all his might. We prayed for an out. However, the ball sailed over Nishitani's outstretched glove. The stadium erupted as all the runners scored. Kurosawa tried for a triple but was thrown out on a relay play, ending the inning at 9-6.
Iijima had earned the right to be the winning pitcher, but his performance was mixed—six runs allowed over five innings, with six hits and one walk. Due to errors, his earned runs were three, but how would the team evaluate this?
"That's tough," Haratani said. We all fell silent. Iijima seemed to have been hit harder than the numbers suggested. Despite some good pitches, our defense and luck had kept the runs down.
In the end, Iijima left after five innings, and the Shizuoka Oceans won 11-8. He was credited with the win but appeared on TV with a grim look, knowing his performance was far from perfect.
The next day, Iijima was demoted to the second team. In the afternoon, he joined us at the second team's training ground. As he approached, Mitamura spoke first.
"Thank you for your hard work, Iijima-san."
"Hey guys. Were you watching TV?" Iijima asked.
"Yes, we watched," Haratani replied.
"First-string players are amazing. I felt like they hit every ball just right."
We listened in silence.
"Well, it was good to get my second win. It's a good memory from my time as a pro."
We were shocked. Was Iijima planning to retire?
"No, I'm not quitting yet," Iijima said, sensing our concern. "I'll keep pitching until the team tells me I'm no longer needed. Until then, I'll give it my all, even if I don't get another start."
True to his word, Iijima resumed training that day. Despite his disappointment, he acted bravely, showing us his pride as a professional. As I watched him practice, I couldn't help but admire his resilience and dedication.
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