Last year, the all-star game of professional baseball, which was canceled due to the influence of the new coronavirus, was held for the first time in two years, and in the first round, All Central beat All Pacific 5-4.

The All-Star Game was canceled for the first time last year due to the influence of the new coronavirus, and was held for the first time in two years.



The first round was held at MetLife Dome in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, and the All Pacific was started by pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Japanese national team for the Tokyo Olympics.



Pitcher Yamamoto once beat all-central Japan national team, giant Hayato Sakamoto, Hanshin rookie Teruaki Sato, who has the most votes in the league in fan voting, and Japan national team Hiroshima Seiya Suzuki, a fastball that exceeds 150 kilometers. The two times were perfectly suppressed, such as hitting on the axis.



After that, All Pacific took the lead in the 2nd inning with Seibu and Hotaka Yamakawa's 2-point timely two-base, and added 1 point in the 3rd inning.



On the other hand, All Central scored 2 points in the 5th inning to make it 1 point behind, and in the 6th inning, Japan national team player Ryosuke Kikuchi hit a two-run home run to reverse.



After this, all centrals were tied, but from the bases loaded with 2 outs in the 9th inning, Takumu Nakano, who participated in the middle of the game as a rookie of the Hanshin Tigers, chose a walk and all centrals won 5-4.



Hiroshima's Kikuchi, who hit four hits, including a two-run home run, was selected as the MVP = Most Valuable Player in this match.



Round 2 of the All-Star Game will be held on the 17th at Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi in Sendai.



On the other hand, in Saitama Prefecture, where MetLife Dome is located, the maximum number of spectators was limited to 5,000 because priority measures such as prevention of spread are continuing, but tickets sold before the measures were continued. Was activated, and 8992 people visited the stadium.

MVP Hiroshima / Kikuchi "I'm happy because I've never won an award."

Ryosuke Kikuchi of Hiroshima, who was selected as the MVP of the first round = the best player, said, "I'm sorry, no way, I've never won an award, so it's a memorable place called Seibu Dome. I'm glad I got the MVP at the stadium, "he said with an episode of his parents' house near the stadium.



He also recalled that giant Kazuma Okamoto stole the base before Kikuchi hit a home run, saying, "The stolen base of Kazuma, which I have never seen in the season, inspired me."



He said, "Because tomorrow is Sendai, I think there will be some reconstruction, my juniors have been affected by the disaster, and I hope I can play in a place where my friends are."

Fighting Award Seibu Yamakawa "I'm glad I got the chance"

Seibu's Hotaka Yamakawa, who was selected for the first round of the fighting award, recalled, "It was a feeling of tension that was not like an All-Star, and that was fun."



He said about the first timely, "I had a chance, so I entered the turn at bat with the desire to hit normally, so I'm glad I hit it. As a result, I'm glad I got the fighting award."



Koji Chikamoto of the Hanshin Tigers, who was also selected for the fighting award, said that he had hit seven at-bats in a row from the All-Star game two years ago. I'm glad I was in the game. I think it was good that I was able to take the plunge from the first ball. "



And for the second round on the 17th, he was enthusiastic, "I want to do my best to show a lot of fans all over the country a fun play, a great play, and a great match."