He also overwhelmed the opponent team's batters. It seems easy to complete nine innings.

Nippon-Ham Fighters right-hander Shoma Kanemura (25) pitched a shutout for the third time in May. He allowed five hits and no runs in nine innings in an away game against the Rakuten Eagles on Sunday. He allowed one walk to 32 batters and struck out six. He led the team to a 1-0 win with 104 pitches. It was his fourth complete game this season including the opening game. His ball control and stamina were all perfect.

He finished the first, fourth, sixth and ninth innings with three outs. He overcame the crisis of losing points twice without hesitation. He grounded out to second baseman Itsuki Murabayashi at second base with two outs and runners on the second and third bases in the third inning, and caught Hiroaki Shimouchi at third base with two outs and runners on the first and second bases in the eighth inning.메이저놀이터

Gunji Yuya, the fourth batter, hit a home run to the left as the leadoff hitter in the second inning. Kanemura's complete pitching without allowing any runs saved the bullpen. The Nippon Ham faced the Softbank Hawks in a tight race at the extended 11th inning at a home game on Tuesday. It deployed six pitchers including the starting pitcher, and lost the game 3-4.

In 2023, he joined as a two-time rookie. He is in full bloom in his third year as a college graduate. Kanemura went to the opening game against the Seibu Lions on March 28, posting nine innings of six-hit shutout. He recorded his first shutout in the pro league with 105 pitches. He shut out five hits in nine innings against the Orix Buffaloes on April 20 and one run in nine innings against the Rakuten on May 9.

All four wins (2 losses, 1.90 ERA) recorded this season are complete games.

He exchanged between starting pitchers and bullpen sessions last year. He has changed significantly this year, with seven wins, six losses and six holds and an ERA of 2.38 without complete pitching in 29 games. Asked about the secret of Kanemura's growth, manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo said, "It's all thanks to me," with a smile. It was a joke, but he deserves pride.

Shinjo informed Kanemura late last year as the starting pitcher. He instilled confidence in him and enabled him to prepare for the opening game.

Nippon Ham, led by Kanemura's complete pitching, won the game 1-0. Coach Shinjo is giving high fives to players right after the game ends on Sunday. Photo capture = Nippon Ham Fighters SNS
Usually, Shinjo stresses that starting pitchers need to improve their ability to complete games. He needs to be able to handle games by himself. Kanemura certainly lived up to the expectations of the coach, who values his ability to digest innings.

The coach has created an environment in which he can complete a complete game. Kanemura took the mound 14 days after taking the mound against Rakuten on May 9. He will complete the shutout game on May 23 and will be excluded from the first team entry on May 24. Usually, Japanese teams start on May 6. Unless there are variables, Kanemura plays every seven days, but his rest period is longer. He can accumulate strength and throw balls.

"It's a waste to exclude a pitcher who won a shutout from the entry, but the pitching coach decides the schedule for the mound," Shin said. The schedule is adjusted to take into account the team's situation and players' characteristics. If we continue to do so, it will be difficult to meet the stipulated innings.

It is also difficult to select five players, but the Nippon Ham team will move to a eight-man rotation. This is possible due to ample resources to select pitchers. He pitched 10 complete games out of 44 games through Sunday. This is the largest number among 12 teams in both leagues. Five starting pitchers reported complete games, and three shutout games.

As of Sunday, the Nippon-Ham team has an ERA of 2.37. The team ranks first in the Pacific League. Thanks to its strong pitching capability, the team ranks first in the league. It is two games behind the Orix Buffaloes. Nippon Ham finished second last year after hitting the bottom in 2022-2023 under coach Shinjo. It gained strength as it succeeded in reorganizing the team, focusing on young players.