ソフトバンクがパ・リーグ優勝［2024.9. 23］

　ソフトバンクが４年ぶり２０度目のリーグ制覇（南海、ダイエー時代含む）を果たした。マジック１としていた首位チームはオリックス戦（京セラＤ）の試合中、２位の日本ハムが４―６で西武（ベルーナＤ）で敗れたため、優勝が決定した。ソフトバンクはその直後にオリックスを９―４で下し、優勝に花を添えた。

　就任１年目の小久保裕紀監督（５２）のもと、開幕６戦目の４月４日に首位に立つと、トップを譲ることなく、走り切った。１０月１６日からは本拠地で、クライマックスシリーズ（ＣＳ）最終ステージに臨む（ソフトバンクに１勝のアドバンテージ）。

　ソフトバンクは４年ぶりの優勝にマジック１でオリックス戦を迎えた。試合前の小久保監督は泰然自若としていた。前夜はナイターで日本ハムが負ければ優勝の状況で、デーゲームで勝利後に大阪に移動したが、Ｖ決定はお預け。「部屋でビールを飲みながら（ＢＳ放送を）見ていました。すぐ寝ました。皆さんが思うほど心は、ざわついていないので。至って平常です」と試合前練習を見守った。

　初回、ベテランの中村晃が先制点をたたき出した。２死一、二塁、オリックス・才木から右前に運んだ。近藤が右足首の捻挫で離脱した２戦目から、５試合連続の５番打者で仕事を果たした。

　先発マウンドに上がったのは石川だ。経験豊富な３２歳の右腕だが、初回は先頭に四球を与えると、２死一、二塁、西川に中越えの逆転二塁打を打たれた。

　大阪は前身の南海ホークスの発祥の地だ。そして、ブース席で見守った王会長と、小久保監督の師弟にとって忘れられない“事件”もあった。最下位で９６年５月９日の近鉄戦（日生）に敗れた試合後、ファンが帰りのバスを取り囲み生卵をぶつける暴挙に出た。「暗いバスだった。僕は王監督をずっと見ていた。逃げないし、堂々としていた」とスポーツ報知のインタビューで明かしたことがある。「卵をぶつけられるような野球をやっているのは俺たちなんだ。あの連中に喜んでもらおうよ」と毅然とナインに呼びかけた姿は、今も胸に刻まれている。

　４回、ソフトバンク打線がつながった。２死一、三塁で川村の内野安打で同点。さらに２死一、二塁、周東が左中間に勝ち越しの２点三塁打を放った。続く５回にも柳町の２点二塁打と、川村の適時二塁打で３点を加えた。

　２回以降は無失点の石川が、６回につかまった。２死二塁、来田に２号２ランを許すと、続く内藤に内野安打を許し、降板した。

　だが、タカ打線は８回、川村、周東の連打から敵失も絡み２点を追加。９回の守備時に、２位・日本ハムが西武戦（ベルーナＤ）に敗れ、優勝が決定。直後に９―４で試合終了を迎え、小久保監督が大阪で８度、宙に舞った。

■英訳　

SoftBank has won the league championship for the 20th time (including the Nankai and Daiei eras) after a four-year hiatus. With a magic number of 1, the top-ranked team clinched the title during their game against Orix at Kyocera Dome when second-place Nippon-Ham lost 4-6 to Seibu at Belluna Dome. Shortly after, SoftBank sealed the victory by defeating Orix 9-4, putting the finishing touch on their championship.

Under the leadership of manager Hiroki Kokubo (52) in his first year, the team took the top spot on April 4, in their sixth game of the season, and maintained it without relinquishing the lead. From October 16, they will face the final stage of the Climax Series (CS) at their home stadium, with a one-game advantage for SoftBank.

SoftBank approached their match against Orix with the magic number reduced to 1, needing just one win for the title. Before the game, manager Kokubo remained calm. The night before, Nippon-Ham had a chance to lose in a night game, which would have secured the championship for SoftBank. After winning their day game, the team traveled to Osaka, but the title was not yet confirmed. "I was watching the broadcast in my room while drinking beer. I went to sleep right away. My mind was not as restless as people might think. I felt completely calm," Kokubo said while watching over the pre-game practice.

In the first inning, veteran Akira Nakamura drove in the first run. With two outs and runners on first and second, he hit a single to right field off Orix's Saiki. Nakamura, batting fifth for the fifth consecutive game since Kondoh was sidelined with a right ankle sprain, continued to deliver solid performances.

On the mound for SoftBank was the experienced 32-year-old right-hander Ishikawa. However, in the first inning, after issuing a leadoff walk and with two outs and runners on first and second, he allowed a go-ahead double to center by Nishikawa.

Osaka is the birthplace of the franchise's predecessor, the Nankai Hawks. It is also the site of a memorable "incident" for both Chairman Sadaharu Oh and Manager Kokubo, who share a mentor-student relationship. After a loss to Kintetsu on May 9, 1996, with the team in last place, angry fans surrounded the team bus and threw raw eggs at it. "The bus was dark. I kept watching Manager Oh. He didn't run away and remained composed," Kokubo once revealed in an interview with Sports Hochi. "We're the ones playing baseball poorly enough to deserve this. Let's play in a way that makes them happy," Oh had firmly told the players—a moment still engraved in Kokubo's heart.

In the fourth inning, SoftBank's batting lineup came alive. With two outs and runners on first and third, Kawamura hit an infield single to tie the game. Then, with two outs and runners on first and second, Shuto delivered a two-run triple to left-center, putting SoftBank ahead. In the fifth inning, Yanagimachi added a two-run double, followed by an RBI double from Kawamura, increasing the lead by three runs.

Ishikawa, who had not allowed a run since the second inning, got into trouble in the sixth. With two outs and a runner on second, he gave up a two-run home run, his second of the season, to Kita. After allowing an infield single to the next batter, Naito, he was pulled from the game.

However, SoftBank's lineup responded in the eighth inning, adding two more runs from consecutive hits by Kawamura and Shuto, along with an error by the opposing team. In the ninth inning, during defense, Nippon-Ham lost to Seibu at Belluna Dome, officially securing SoftBank's championship. Shortly after, SoftBank finished the game with a 9-4 victory, and manager Kokubo was tossed into the air eight times in celebration in Osaka.

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