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**Orix Rookie Pitcher Katayama Secures First Pro Win in Dramatic Comeback Victory Over Nippon-Ham**
**Osaka, Japan** – In a thrilling Pacific League matchup at Kyocera Dome Osaka, the Orix Buffaloes secured a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, highlighted by a walk-off home run and the first professional win for rookie pitcher Raiku Katayama.
Katayama, the sixth-round draft pick from Otofuke, Hokkaido, pitched effectively in relief, earning his milestone win. He was quick to express gratitude toward veteran player, Tomiya, whose clutch hit paved the way for the victory. Tomiya, similarly, gave credit to the rest of the players of the team, stating it was a ‘Gotsu win’, implying that all of the members of the team had contributed significantly to the win.
The game saw a nail-biting eighth inning where the Fighters scored two runs, threatening to steal the win. However, the Buffaloes rallied in the bottom of the ninth.
Adding to the feel-good story, after hitting the 3 run home run to seal the victory for the Orix Buffaloes, Captain, Ryo Ota, gave his commemorative ball to Orix fans for safekeeping. They, in turn, gifted the ball back to Ryo, and he gave them a signed cap as thanks for keeping it safe.
Katayama’s success is also attributed to the support of pitching coach Higa, who emphasizes mental fortitude alongside physical conditioning. Higa, drawing from his own experience as a pitcher, provides invaluable guidance to the young rookie. Katayama’s teammate, Teranishi, is also doing well, securing a second win. With these two rookies working hard, Manager Kishida feels positive about the future. He lauded Katayama’s dedication, expressing happiness at his role in the team’s victory.
The team also enjoyed the presence of Hirotake Ishimoto, a promising two-way boat racer who is also a university student, who threw the opening pitch,
Katayama, born on October 7, 2002, played high school baseball at Shirakaba Gakuen after Otofuke Kyoei Junior High School, reaching the semi-finals of the Meiji Jingu Tournament. After NTT East, he joined Orix with an estimated annual salary of 8 million yen. With this victory, Katayama takes a significant step toward achieving his goal of becoming a starting pitcher for the Buffaloes.
**Highlights:**
* Rookie Katayama earns first professional win.
* Orix secures their eighth walk-off victory of the season.
First Piper 