Back-to-back three-run homers in the 33rd and 34th innings…10-run lead in the 10th, but Okamoto, Yomiuri stuck at No. 4, still not smiling

Continuing his dominant home run streak.

Yomiuri Giants’ No. 4 hitter Kazuma Okamoto (27) hit his 34th home run of the season against the Hiroshima Carp on Tuesday. It was his second consecutive three-run homer and extended his Central League home run lead. He extended his lead over Yakult Swallows’ “monster hitter” Munetaka Murakami (23) to 10.메이저사이트

Second-place Murakami, who was chasing Okamoto, was recently removed from the first team. He stopped producing home runs after hitting two in a row on April 16-17. Barring an unexpected turn of events, he is on track to become the third home run king after 2020-2021.

Trailing 0-4 in the top of the fourth inning, he hit a three-run homer to left field with runners on first and second. On a 1S count, a changeup from Hiroshima left-hander Shogo Tamamura was hit high in the middle of the plate. He didn’t miss it, sending it into the left field stands at Hiroshima Matsuda Stadium.

In the previous day’s game (Sept. 19), the cannon was fired in the top of the eighth inning after falling behind 6-0. With runners on first and second, he lined a pitch in the middle of the strike zone from right-hander Masato Morishita at 2S for his 33rd home run of the season.

Okamoto’s “one hit” saved Yomiuri from a sweep.

His home run pace picked up in the second half. He hit 12 in August. That’s the most ever for a right-handed hitter in a single month.

After reaching 30 homers for the sixth straight year, Okamoto added three more in 20 games, giving him 80 for the sixth straight year. He is also one away from 200 career homers. His 39 in 2021 is the most in a single season, so his first 40 doesn’t seem out of reach.

Okamoto has three homers and eight RBIs in his last six games. He also moved into first place in RBIs, passing Shugo Maki of the Yokohama BayStars (78). He’s looking for his third batting title since 2020-2021.

However, Yomiuri suffered a heartbreaking loss to Hiroshima on April 19-20 when Okamoto hit a three-run homer. Game 2

In both games, the starting pitchers were replaced before the fifth inning.