Baseball: A Two-Way Player-Chapter 549 - 123: Advancing to Japan’s Number One! (Part 2)
Even though the game has ended, tens of thousands of home team fans at the scene are still immersed in the extreme joy brought by that monumental comeback grand slam and none of them are willing to leave.
They just stand on the stands, looking at their home heroes on the field, occasionally sending cheers and applause; and when Lin Guanglai, led by the staff, comes to the hero stage after the game, the decibel level in the entire dome reaches its peak once again.
The host responsible for the interview tries to get the scene to quiet down a bit, but the effect is minimal; he can only shout into the microphone:
"Ladies and gentlemen of the SoftBank fans, let's welcome tonight, and so far in the entire series, the greatest hero——!"
"Player Lin Guanglai!!!"
What responds to him is an even greater sea of cheers.
After the emotions of the fans on the stands have calmed down somewhat, the host begins his question: "Lin, in today's game, you hit a walk-off grand slam when the team was trailing in the bottom of the ninth—what was on your mind when you entered the batter's box?"
Receiving the microphone from the host, Lin Guanglai doesn't speak immediately; he just smiles, slowly scanning the stands with his eyes, and then raises his hand to wave towards the black and white ocean—it's this simple gesture that ignites the atmosphere once more.
"First of all," Lin Guanglai's voice, hoarse from the intense battle, spreads through the microphone all over the field, "I want to say thank you, thank you for your support, thank you for never giving up, thank you for always believing in us—this is the prerequisite for us to complete this comeback!"
With just this sentence, many fans in the stands can't hold back the emotions bursting forth from their hearts, and tears fall uncontrollably.
"Secondly, I want to thank my teammates. Before the bottom of the ninth started, we were trailing 1:3, seemingly likely to lose this game—but no one in the player area complained or sighed; in each of our hearts, there was the same thought to complete the turnaround in this half inning! It was my teammates' on-base and advancement that gave me the final opportunity."
"As for my feelings when I walked into the batter's box..." Lin Guanglai pauses, the corners of his mouth rising into a smile, his gaze suddenly sharpens, and his voice rises eight degrees, "I only had one thought at the time—"
"Send everyone home from the bases!!!"
"Boom—!!" Almost the moment the words are said, the atmosphere in the field explodes once again! Lin Guanglai's words, full of responsibility and dominance, also make the eyes of many fans sparkle.
The host timely introduces the next topic: "Now, the team has a 3-1 lead in the series, holding the 'match point'. The next game is still at home—Lin, is there anything you want to say to the fans and about the next game?"
"The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters are a respected and strong opponent, they have also posed quite a challenge to us during the game..." After thinking carefully for a moment, Lin Guanglai's eyes start to burn with fighting spirit, "But in the next game, we will not give them any breathing room!"
He then once again looks towards the stands, takes a deep breath, and slowly says:
"I want to tell all the fans, please believe, our goal has never just been to win this game, or to reach the fifth, sixth game..."
"SoftBank Team's goal is none other than victory!"
"Please be prepared—tomorrow night, right here, we will beat the opponent upright and go on to Japan's Number One!!!"
After saying this, Lin Guanglai returns the microphone to the host, bows deeply to the fans once again; there is no arrogance in his words, only absolute confidence in himself and the team's strength, as well as that naked desire for victory, for the championship.
Even though it's been less than two full years since Lin Guanglai joined SoftBank; for some reason, SoftBank's fans have complete confidence in his words—they genuinely believe that this outstanding dual swordsman will lead them back to the stage of pinnacle.
The story inside the stadium comes to a temporary halt, but the momentum outside is just beginning.
On the night of the game ended, Itabashi Kenji worked overtime once more: thanks to the rescue grand slam from less than two hours ago that shocked countless people, Lin Guanglai becomes the focus once again; meanwhile, sales of various products endorsed by him show significant increases.
As the head of Mizuno's baseball department, Itabashi Kenji knows well that this is a rare advertising opportunity: his department must seize this wave, formulate corresponding advertising plans ahead of the event escalation.
Media promotion, new custom posters and ads, as well as limited edition bats need to be scheduled... For Itabashi Kenji, such a process brings both pain and joy.
As an endorser signed by him back then, Lin Guanglai's performance undoubtedly exceeds everyone's expectations; given his current performance, even the once deemed exorbitant sponsorship contract of 150 million per year now seems cost-effective. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
Winning the league MVP and the Eiji Sawamura Award seems inevitable, if Lin Guanglai's SoftBank Team can also achieve Japan's Number One... Such an outcome would be excellent news for the player himself, the Mizuno brand, and Itabashi Kenji personally—he can already see promotion and pay raise beckoning to him!
"It seems that after the season ends, it's time to refresh the contract with Lin Guanglai..." Itabashi Kenji takes the report his assistant hands over for signature, and thinks to himself.
When time reaches six o'clock the next evening, the fourth game of SoftBank vs. Hokkaido clash kicks off at Yahoo Dome on time: for a short series, how the players and coaching team adjust their mindset timely is an undoubtedly important matter; judging from the performance of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters Players in today's game, they seem unable to break free from yesterday's defeat that was just one step away from victory.
Even though today, the starter pitcher Ohtani Shohei withstands the pressure, delivers an outstanding 7-inning 2-run starting performance, the Fighters' batters seem to be sleepwalking, unable to find their hitting form, almost completely suppressed by SoftBank's third starter Nakata Kenichi.
The final score is frozen at 6:2.
The home-playing SoftBank Team did not prolong entanglement with opponents, but seized the opportunity and immediately cashed in their match point—this score also enabled them to gentlemen sweep the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters with a 4:1 grand score, and as Pacific League's representative, they will compete against Central League's representative in the Japan Series.
After the game, amid the cheers of all fans at Yahoo Dome, SoftBank Team also upheld the spirit of "friendship first", gathered in front of the Fighters' players area, together both teams' players perform the "toss" ceremony for players Inaba Atsunori and Kaneko Makoto who are about to retire this year.
"Guanglai, you've won again this time—the Japan Series, I hope you can achieve the victory!" Although feeling a bit unwilling in his heart, as a friend, Ohtani Shohei still extends his hand to Lin Guanglai, offering his blessings.
"Definitely," Lin Guanglai replies.
The two friends look into each other's eyes, hands tightly clasped together, but Lin Guanglai's heart has already flown far away.
"Japan's Number One... I'm really looking forward to it!"
