Kiyomiya caps 1st All-Star outing with ‘sayonara’ HR

FUKUOKA — For the rst time in three years, there are no restrictions on attendance for Japan pro baseball’s All-Star series, and the Paci c League’s Kotaro Kiyomiya gave the 35,534 fans packed into Fukuoka PayPay Dome on Tuesday night a game to remember.

e Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters le y slugger blasted a two-out “sayonara” home run in the bottom of the ninth inning o Hiroshima Carp right-hander Masato Morishita to give the PL a 3-2 victory over the Central League in the rst of the two-game series.

“I was de nitely aiming for a home run,” said Kiyomiya, who was named the MVP in his rst All-Star appearance. “He kept throwing fastballs, and I responded with an all-out swing.”

Kiyomiya scooped a low fastball into the home run terrace beyond the fence in le -center eld, sending the crowd into a frenzy and leading his teammates to mob him at home plate.

e 23-year-old has been in the spotlight since turning pro as a highly sought-a er hitter a er belting a record 111 home runs at Waseda Jitsugyo High School. Seven teams made him their rstround selection in the 2017 dra , with the Fighters winning out in a lottery.

On the path to what appeared to be certain stardom, Kiyomiya was sidetracked by a series of injuries, including a broken right hand in his second season. He spent all of last season without being called up from the minors.

is season, under new manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo, he has nally started to bloom. Inserted into the clean-up spot,

Kiyomiya already has a career-high 11 home runs.

Prior to heading to Fukuoka, Shinjo told his All-Stars to aim for winning the MVP award as a means of motivating them. Kiyomiya took the challenge to heart, coming through with the rst game-ending home run in an o cial

game of his career.

Hotaka Yamakawa of the Seibu Lions also hit a solo home run for the PL, which tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning on an RBI single by the Orix Bu aloes’ Yuma Mune. Dayan Viciedo of the Chunichi Dragons homered for the CL. (July 28)

The Yomiuri Shimbun Kotaro Kiyomiya, center, is mobbed by Pacific League teammates after homering in the bottom of the ninth to give the PL a 3-2 win in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Fukuoka.