10-07-2025
Baseball: Kurebayashi grand slam lifts Buffaloes past Hawks
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Kotaro Kurebayashi hit a grand slam as the Orix Buffaloes beat the SoftBank Hawks 4-0 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep in the Pacific League.
Kurebayashi blasted a low 0-1 slider from Hawks starter Haru Matsumoto (3-3) high into the left stand at Kyocera Dome Osaka with one out in the sixth inning, going deep for the fifth time this year.
Kohei Azuma blanked the Hawks over five innings on two hits, and relievers Taisuke Yamaoka (3-1), Sho Iwasaki and Luis Perdomo each threw a perfect inning for the Buffaloes.
In other action, the Central League-leading Hanshin Tigers won their 11th straight game and eighth in a row against the Hiroshima Carp after coming from behind to prevail 6-3.
