Taiwanese pitcher Song Chia-hao shines in relief, but Rakuten Monkeys fall 0-2

Taiwanese right-handed pitcher Song Chia-hao delivered a scoreless relief appearance for the Rakuten Monkeys in a Japanese interleague game on Friday, lowering his season ERA to 2.08. He recorded his fastest pitch at 151 kilometers per hour during his outing.

However, Song's efforts were not enough to secure a victory for the Monkeys. The team's offense struggled, managing only two hits throughout the game. They were ultimately shut out 0-2 by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, thanks to a stellar performance from Carp pitcher Kota Morishita.

Morishita was dominant, pitching a complete nine-inning game and throwing 107 pitches. He allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out seven batters, earning his fifth win of the season. His ERA now stands at 3.88. The Carp's offense contributed with 11 hits, including multiple RBIs from Masahiro Sakakura and Elehuris Montero.

Rakuten's starting pitcher, Hayakawa Takaya, took the loss, pitching five innings and giving up two runs. He now holds a 2.25 season ERA. The game marked a disappointing result for the Rakuten Monkeys, despite Song Chia-hao's solid relief work.