巨人、4年ぶりセ・リーグ優勝［2024.9.28］

巨人が優勝マジック「1」で迎えた1戦で広島に勝利、4年ぶり39度目（1リーグ制を含めると48度目）のリーグ制覇を決めた。球団2度目の2年連続Bクラス（22年・4位、23年・4位）となる不名誉な記録から頂点を奪還した。阿部慎之助監督（45）は就任1年目で優勝を飾り02年・原辰徳監督以来、22年ぶり球団6人目の快挙を達成した。阿部監督は現役時代の背番号と同じ10度、マウンド付近で宙を舞った。

試合は相手先発・森下に対し、初回2死一、二塁も、5番・坂本のところで二塁走者・吉川がけん制アウトで好機を逃す。

先発の菅野は中5日で今季24度目の登板、リーグ単独トップ14勝で3敗、リーグ3位・防御率1.70。今季の広島戦は3度目、2勝0敗、防御率0.87でセ・リーグの対戦球団別では最も相性が良い。

立ち上がりは、先頭の秋山を門脇の失策で出塁を許すも、犠打失敗や併殺打で先制許さず。2回の菅野は先頭の坂倉に右中間への二塁打を浴びるも、後続をいずれも外野フライに打ち取る。

3回は両チーム三者凡退で迎えた4回表の攻撃、先頭の吉川が左前安打、岡本和は捕邪飛、坂本は左飛も、ワイルドピッチがあり2死二塁。浅野は右前安打でつなぐと、門脇がインコース高めを引っ張ると打球は一、二塁間を破る先制打となり1－0。

しかし直後の4回裏に、矢野に左前安打で先頭出塁を許すと、1死から坂倉を迎えたところで盗塁を決められ、坂倉には右前安打を浴びるなどして2死二、三塁。ここで菊池に左前適時打を浴び1－1の同点に追いつかれる。

それでも菅野が5回に先頭打者に安打を浴び1死二塁のピンチを切り抜けると、6回表に先頭の吉川が左前安打で出塁。続く岡本和は左中間を破る適時二塁打で2－1と勝ち越し。さらに2死一、三塁から小林が右前適時打を放ち3－1と2点差に。

7回には3番手・黒原に対し、先頭の丸が四球を選ぶと、犠打、吉川が4打席連続安打となる右前安打で一、三塁から岡本和が2打席連続となる2点適時二塁打を放ち5－1。2死からは増田大が左中間へ適時二塁打を放ちこの回一挙3得点で6－1と突き放す。

大量援護をもらった菅野は6回、7回と連続で三者凡退。8回もマウンドに上がると、途中出場の林を空振り三振、1番・秋山には右前安打を浴びるも、後続を内野ゴロに打ち取る。

9回の攻撃は1死一塁で岡本和が左中間へ二塁打を放つと、坂本、増田の連続適時打で8－1。岡本和が3打席連続の二塁打を含む、4安打3打点の活躍をみせるなど16安打8得点の猛攻で相手投手陣を攻略した。

9回裏は2番手・高梨が登板し2つのアウトを奪い、ここで守護神・大勢が登板しリードを守り切りゲームセット。菅野は8回119球6安打4奪三振1失点の好投で2018年以来6年ぶり、通算3度目の15勝（3敗）を挙げた。

≪今シーズンの巨人　優勝への歩み≫
巨人は開幕カード・阪神戦で勝ち越すも4月6日に今季最多借金2となった。だが直後に6連勝を飾り4月を貯金1で終える。その後は5月24日・阪神戦（甲子園）で戸郷が史上89人目ノーヒット・ノーランを達成するも一進一退の戦いが続き貯金2で交流戦へ入り、6連敗を喫するが交流戦を8勝9敗1分で乗り切った。

7月6日・中日戦（前橋）で先発・井上が8回無失点の好投で凱旋勝利を挙げる。そこからチームは今季最長7連勝し阪神、広島、DeNAの4球団でつばぜり合いの戦いを繰り広げ、球宴前の前半戦は貯金8で5年ぶりに首位ターンした。

7月末から甲子園100周年の阪神3連戦で3連敗するが以降は3連敗することなく順調に勝ち星を重ねていく。驚異的に躍進してきた広島とデッドヒートとなり、首位に立ち2ゲーム差で乗り込んだ今月10日からマツダスタジアムでの3連戦で3連勝、18日に優勝マジック「9」を点灯させる。

歴史的な大失速の広島にに代わり昨年の覇者・阪神が9月2度の5連勝で追ってくるが1ゲーム差で迎えた大一番23日・阪神戦に代打・坂本が放った決勝打の1点を4人の投手陣が守り切り、稀にみる混戦となったセ・リーグを制した。

◆投手陣では昨季わずか4勝に終わった菅野が完全復活、開幕からビジターでリーグ記録となる10連勝を含む15勝を挙げ牽引した。初の開幕投手を務めた戸郷は3年連続の12勝をマークし安定したピッチングを披露。船迫、高梨、バルドナードに守護神・大勢らの救援陣も大崩れすることなくシーズンを乗り切った。チーム防御率2.47はリーグ1位に浮上、総失点374はリーグ最少。また吉川と門脇の二遊間を中心に守備力も光り、失策数57はリーグ最少（最多はDeNAの90失策）だった。

打撃陣は岡本和が開幕から全試合4番を務め27本塁打、83打点とともにヤクルト・村上に次ぐリーグ2位の記録をマーク、自己最多となる21の勝利打点を挙げ勝負強さも見せた。開幕から固定されなった3番には新外国人ヘルナンデスが交流戦から合流し打率.294、本塁打8、打点30と躍動するも8月中旬に離脱。だが新戦力モンテスに復調した吉川が中軸を担い、19歳の2年目・浅野が8月14日・阪神戦（東京ドーム）で満塁弾を放つなどレギュラーに定着し打線に活気をもたらした。

【巨人　就任1年目での優勝監督】
36年秋　藤本定義
43年　　中島治康
61年　　川上哲治
81年　　藤田元司
02年　　原辰徳
24年　　阿部慎之助

■英訳　

In a game where the Yomiuri Giants had a magic number of "1" to clinch the championship, they secured a victory over Hiroshima, capturing their 39th league title (48th including the single-league era) and their first in four years. The Giants reclaimed the top spot after a dishonorable record of finishing in the lower ranks for two consecutive years (4th place in 2022 and 2023). Manager Shinnosuke Abe (45), in his first year as manager, celebrated the victory, becoming the sixth manager in team history to win the championship in his first year since Tatsunori Hara in 2002. Abe was tossed into the air 10 times near the mound, matching his jersey number from his playing days.

In the game, the Giants faced Hiroshima's starting pitcher Morishita. With two outs and runners on first and second in the first inning, the Giants missed a chance to score when the runner on second, Yoshikawa, was picked off while Sakamoto was at bat.

Starting pitcher Sugano, making his 24th appearance of the season on five days' rest, entered the game with a league-leading 14 wins and 3 losses, and a 1.70 ERA, ranking third in the league. It was his third start against Hiroshima this season, having previously gone 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA, making Hiroshima his best matchup in the Central League.

Sugano allowed the leadoff batter Akiyama to reach base due to an error by Kadowaki, but escaped without allowing a run thanks to a failed bunt and a double play. In the second inning, Sugano gave up a double to Sakakura but managed to retire the following batters with fly balls to the outfield.

In the third inning, both teams went down in order, but in the top of the fourth, the Giants struck first. Yoshikawa led off with a single to left, and after two outs, including a wild pitch, Asano hit a single to right, putting runners on the corners. Kadowaki then pulled a high inside pitch through the gap between first and second for an RBI single, giving the Giants a 1-0 lead.

However, in the bottom of the fourth, the Giants allowed a leadoff single to Yano, followed by a stolen base and an RBI single by Sakakura, putting runners on second and third with two outs. Kikuchi then hit an RBI single to left, tying the game at 1-1.

Sugano managed to escape a fifth-inning jam after allowing a hit and facing a runner on second with one out. In the top of the sixth, Yoshikawa again led off with a single to left, and Okamoto followed with an RBI double to left-center, reclaiming the lead at 2-1. Later in the inning, Kobayashi hit an RBI single to right, extending the lead to 3-1.

In the seventh inning, against Hiroshima's third pitcher, Kurobara, the Giants increased their lead. After Maru drew a leadoff walk, Yoshikawa hit his fourth consecutive single, setting up Okamoto, who delivered his second consecutive RBI double, making it 5-1. Masuda then hit an RBI double to left-center, capping off a three-run inning and giving the Giants a commanding 6-1 lead.

With plenty of run support, Sugano retired the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings. He returned to the mound for the eighth, striking out Hayashi before allowing a single to Akiyama, but induced a groundout to end the inning.

In the ninth, Okamoto hit a double to left-center with one out, and Sakamoto and Masuda followed with RBI singles, pushing the lead to 8-1. Okamoto shined with three consecutive doubles, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs, as the Giants pounded out 16 hits and scored eight runs, dismantling Hiroshima’s pitching staff.

In the bottom of the ninth, reliever Takanashi recorded two outs before closer Ose came in to protect the lead and close out the game. Sugano pitched brilliantly, going eight innings, allowing six hits, striking out four, and giving up just one run on 119 pitches. He earned his 15th win of the season, his first since 2018, bringing his overall record to 15-3.

**Giants' Journey to the Championship This Season**

The Giants began the season by winning their opening series against Hanshin, but by April 6th, they had a season-high two-game deficit. However, they bounced back with six consecutive wins, finishing April with a positive record. In May, Togoh achieved the 89th no-hitter in history against Hanshin at Koshien, but the team continued to battle back and forth, entering interleague play with two games above .500. They endured a six-game losing streak but finished interleague play with eight wins, nine losses, and one tie.

On July 6th, starting pitcher Inoue threw eight scoreless innings to secure a homecoming victory against Chunichi in Maebashi. The team then went on a season-high seven-game winning streak, engaging in a fierce battle with Hanshin, Hiroshima, and DeNA. At the All-Star break, they led the league with eight games above .500, marking their first mid-season lead in five years.

Despite suffering a three-game sweep at Koshien during a series celebrating the stadium's 100th anniversary at the end of July, the Giants managed to avoid further losing streaks and continued to accumulate wins steadily. They entered a three-game series at Mazda Stadium on September 10th, leading Hiroshima by two games, and swept the series, lighting up the championship magic number "9" on the 18th.

As Hiroshima dramatically faltered, last year's champion Hanshin mounted a challenge, winning five straight games twice in September. In the critical game against Hanshin on the 23rd, Sakamoto's pinch-hit game-winning hit secured a narrow 1-0 victory, allowing the Giants to win one of the most fiercely contested Central League championships in recent memory.

**Giants' Pitching and Hitting**

On the pitching side, Sugano, who had only four wins last season, made a full comeback, recording 15 wins, including a league-record 10 straight road victories from the start of the season. Togoh, making his first Opening Day start, posted 12 wins for the third consecutive year with consistent pitching. Relievers Funabasami, Takanashi, Baldonado, and closer Ose helped solidify the bullpen. The team's ERA of 2.47 ranked first in the league, and their 374 runs allowed were the fewest in the league. The defense, led by Yoshikawa and Kadowaki up the middle, also shined, with the fewest errors in the league at 57 (compared to DeNA's league-high 90 errors).

On offense, Okamoto served as the cleanup hitter in all games, recording 27 home runs and 83 RBIs, both second in the league behind Yakult's Murakami, and posted a career-high 21 game-winning RBIs. Hernandez, a new foreign player, joined the team from interleague play and performed well with a .294 batting average, eight home runs, and 30 RBIs, although he left the team in mid-August. However, new addition Montes and the resurgent Yoshikawa took over in the middle of the lineup. Second-year player Asano, just 19 years old, established himself as a regular, adding energy to the lineup with a grand slam against Hanshin at Tokyo Dome on August 14th.

**Giants Managers Who Won the Championship in Their First Year**

- 1936 (Fall): Sadayoshi Fujimoto
- 1943: Haruyasu Nakajima
- 1961: Tetsuharu Kawakami
- 1981: Motoshi Fujita
- 2002: Tatsunori Hara
- 2024: Shinnosuke Abe

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