In the seventh inning, pinch hitter Rinshiro Shimamura launched a two-run homer, sparking a jubilant scene in the Hanshin dugout during their 10-0 victory over the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium on the 12th.
Shimamura, a catcher, crushed a 1-2 fastball over the left-field wall for his first professional home run, adding crucial insurance runs. As he rounded third base, the bench erupted with emotion. Teammate Shota Morishita screamed and struck a powerful pose in the front row, while fellow infielder Kowa Kimura mirrored the gesture. Yuto Motoyama smiled and pointed, and catcher Torai Fushimi beamed with joy, applauding the moment—a truly heartwarming display of camaraderie.
The homer was a historic one: Shimamura, a former developmental player, became the first in Hanshin history to hit a pinch-hit home run as his first career blast, following in the footsteps of another developmental player, Shota Onodera. Shimamura collected his first hit in April, and this month has already notched his first RBI, first go-ahead hit, and now his first homer.
“It’s a special ball,” Shimamura said after the game. “I’ll give it to my family.” He added, “I just need to keep doing what I’m doing. If I can produce another good result tomorrow, that’ll be great.”
The win gave Hanshin control of the first round of the crucial series against the league-leading Swallows.