Fukuoka S. Hawks vs Rakuten Gold. Eagles

Rakuten struck first. After Nakashima singled, shortstop Yuki Muneyama drove Kamichatani's fourth home run of the season to right field — 2-0 Eagles in the first inning. The Hawks answered immediately: Yuki Yanagita hit a solo homer (his 12th) off Hayakawa to make it 2-1.

In the third, SoftBank catcher Watanabe tied the game with his first home run of the season — a solo shot after four years without a league homer. 2-2.

The fourth inning swung the game decisively back to Rakuten. Designated hitter Kyle McCusker crushed a two-run homer (his 17th) to restore the lead at 4-2. In the fifth, Nakashima added a solo homer (his 5th) for a 5-2 advantage.

SoftBank mounted a comeback in the eighth. Consecutive hits from Ishizuka, Imamiya and Yamamoto loaded the bases, and Kurihara singled to left to cut it to 5-4. But Chun-Hsiung Sung and Kaito Kutani stemmed the tide, and closer Fujihira retired the side in the ninth for his 23rd save of the season.

The fourth inning was decisive. SoftBank had just tied the game 2-2 on Watanabe's homer, but McCusker's two-run blast immediately reclaimed control. Kamichatani never fully recovered, and Nakashima's solo homer in the fifth gave the Eagles breathing room. The Hawks' two-run eighth was too little, too late.

• Takahisa Hayakawa (Rakuten) — Winning pitcher (6-5). 7 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 SO, 2 ER. Efficient and composed, he limited SoftBank despite two solo homers.
• Takumu Nakashima (Rakuten) — 2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB in 4 plate appearances.
• Kyle McCusker (Rakuten) — 2 hits, 2 RBI, the game-winning home run.
• Yuki Muneyama (Rakuten) — 2 hits, 2 RBI, the opening home run.
• Kenta Murakami (SoftBank) — Professional debut. Entered in the eighth inning and struck out three consecutive batters — all on curveballs and sliders, all swinging.
• Yuki Yanagita (SoftBank) — 3 hits in 4 AB, one home run, carried the Hawks' offense.

Player of the match: Takahisa Hayakawa

SoftBank out-hit Rakuten 11-8, but three of Rakuten's eight hits were home runs, producing five of their six runs. The Hawks hit two homers of their own but left seven runners stranded and went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Kamichatani (7-1) took his first loss after starting the season undefeated; the three home runs allowed matched his season total from his previous 10 starts combined.

Rakuten improved to 10-9 in the season series and snapped a three-game losing streak. SoftBank fell to their third straight defeat, their longest skid since June. Kamichatani's first loss of 2026 raises a question about rotation depth, though one rough outing does not erase an otherwise dominant campaign.

Next fixtures:

• Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks: Sunday 16 August vs Rakuten (series finale, MIZUHO PayPay Dome, 14:00 JST)
• Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles: Sunday 16 August at SoftBank (same venue)

A game decided by the long ball. Rakuten's three home runs — all off a pitcher who had allowed only seven homers in 20 previous starts — proved decisive. Hayakawa gave the Eagles exactly what they needed, Fujihira closed cleanly, and the Hawks' eighth-inning rally fell a big hit short. For SoftBank, it is a reminder that even the most consistent starters can have an off day, and that three-game losing streaks in a tight Pacific League race cost ground.