Murakami Munetaka (Yakult Swallows), who hit 56 home runs last year and broke the Japanese record for most home runs in a single season, reported a hit in 4 at-bats.
On the 15th (hereinafter Korean time), Murakami was nominated for a practice match against the Chiba Lotte Marines held at Nishizaki Stadium in Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and started as the 4th batter, recording 1 hit and 1 RBI in 2 at-bats.
Murakami entered the pro stage after being nominated by Yakult in the first round of the 2017 rookie draft. Murakami did not show much performance in the first season of his debut, but he hit 36 homers in 143 games in the 2019 season and became a full-fledged starter. And he hit 28 home runs in the 2020 season and 39 home runs in the 2021 season, establishing himself as Yakult’s “signboard hitter”.
His last season was a highlight. Murakami led Yakult to the Central League championship with 155 hits, 56 home runs, 134 RBIs, 114 runs, and a batting average of 0.318 OPS and 1.168 in 141 games. In particular, Murakami hit 56 home runs, breaking the record for most home runs in a single Japanese season held by Oh Sadaharu (Wang Jeong-chi, president of Softbank Hawks).
In addition, Murakami showed off his spirit by winning the ‘youngest’ triple crown (batting average, home run, RBI) and the ‘unanimous’ Central League MVP, and was named to the final list of the Japanese national team for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) to be held in March. Murakami is currently raising his sense of actual combat through practice matches.
Murakami started as a third baseman and a fourth batter in a game against the Yokohama DeNA Baystars on the 12th, and only had no hits in two at-bats. However, he went 1-for-2 in the 15th game, getting his first hit in four at-bats before being replaced by Naoki Matsumoto. 카지노
Murakami faced Sasaki in the first at-bat in the top of the second inning, trailing 0-2. After filtering out the first fastball of 159 km, Murakami was unable to attack the consecutive forkballs, putting him in a disadvantageous situation for 1B-2S. And he struck out with a swing on the 4th pitch on a fast ball 160km away.
Murakami reported his first hit after Sasaki went down. At the beginning of the 4th inning, which was trailing 0-4, Murakami pulled the forkball formed in the middle of the strike zone on the 3rd pitch of Kota Futaki, who changed pitcher Kota Futaki, and made a timely one RBI hit toward right field.
As in his first game, Murakami, who played two at-bats, ended the entire schedule by withdrawing from the game afterward. Murakami is likely to play the central hitter role for Japan’s national team along with Shohei Otani (LA Angels) and Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs) in the WBC.
On the other hand, Rocky Sasaki, who came to the mound as a starting pitcher for Chiba Lotte, threw 160km fast balls twice and a 146km forkball, recording 29 pitches, 1 hit, 5 strikeouts and no runs in 2 innings. proved that it is not And on this day, Chiba Lotte won 6-4 against Yakult.