Baseball: A Two-Way Player-Chapter 559 - 128: Tonight, a Legend Is Born (Part 2)
"Crack——!!!"
A clear, lingering echo resounded over Koshien for the third time tonight!
The white baseball traced a faster, higher perfect arc across the night sky of Koshien, then once again disappeared into the sparse seats in the right field stands, making a muffled sound.
A solo shot, the third home run of the game!!!
Even the most optimistic and peaceful Hanshin fans remaining in the stadium could no longer bear watching their beloved team being pummeled so relentlessly—they stood up silently, with their heads bowed, and walked towards the exit along the somewhat steep steps. Their backs were hunched, as if they had aged significantly in an instant.
"It's...it's gone out again! Right field! The third time! He's done it! The third home run! What kind of performance is this?! What kind of player is he?! I...my God!" The commentator's voice quivered violently with excessive excitement, and even carried a tinge of choking emotion.
Another guest slammed the table in front of him forcefully, shouting in a voice full of shock, "Three home runs in one game, plus a full 18 strikeouts—Lin Guanglai, this new generation of super talent, performed a spiritual mercy killing for the Hanshin Tigers at Hanshin Koshien Stadium! He almost single-handedly dismantled the prestigious dignity of the Hanshin Tigers!"
"With his pitching, he thoroughly froze the Hanshin batters, leaving them not a shred of hope; then, with his bat, he pierced through the opposing defense three times, completely! This is a true 'one-man army' performance, something straight out of a myth!"
"Tonight, his performance will forever be inscribed in the annals of Japanese baseball, and even world baseball history! This performance surpasses even the concept of victory and defeat, destined to be recounted countless times in the future as an ultimate legendary moment—the Hanshin players are unfortunate, for they collided head-on with such a rising star, just a step away from their dreams on the grand stage; but at the same time, they are fortunate to have become a part of history!"
The commentator beside him, after calming down, added, "And, folks, I need to remind you of something—there's still one more half-inning of the ninth to go!"
Clearing his throat after saying this, "So far, player Lin Guanglai has already claimed 18 strikeouts, setting a new record in Japanese majors history—so, can he do more? Like pushing this record into the 20s?"
The commentator's voice echoed through the air, leaving a moderately enticing mystery for both the on-site audience and viewers in front of their TVs:
At this moment, perhaps any baseball lover, except for Hanshin Tigers fans, hopes that Akiyama Koji won't change pitchers: let him finish the nine innings and let's see the limits of personal talent in this sport of baseball! This is probably the most genuine thought in everyone's heart.
"Guanglai, what do you say—do you still wish to keep pitching?"
The record had long been broken, and every step beyond was merely an opportunity to add to the glory; ultimately, Akiyama Koji decided to leave the choice in the hands of his disciple.
"Of course, Coach, remember the words I said to you before we started?" Lin Guanglai winked playfully at Akiyama Koji in front of him.
Akiyama Koji smiled, "Just the beginning, right?"
Lin Guanglai did not answer, but the bright smile on his face had already answered the question.
Against the backdrop of nearly empty green stands, Lin Guanglai's figure appeared even more imposing: 18 strikeouts were far from satisfying him, and records were merely milestones; what he wanted was to carve his name forever on this Holy Land of Japanese baseball in a manner unprecedented and hard to replicate.
As a catcher, Takeshima Shinya was equally stirred; he forced himself to calm down and focus on the match—just two more strikeouts, and he would also be written into history.
The first batter, the eighth in Hanshin's lineup, Yamato.
Almost upon stepping into the batter's box, Yamato felt himself locked onto by a gaze—Lin Guanglai on the pitcher's mound staring at him as if an eagle hawk had locked onto its prey, with an icy gaze.
The first pitch, an outside low cutter sliced precisely across the edge of the strike zone, to which Yamato did not react.
Strike! The sound of the baseball colliding with the catcher's mitt was especially crisp in the silent stadium.
The second pitch, a high inside fastball. Even though the game was nearing its end, this pitch maintained a velocity of 155 km/h, exuding intense pressure.
Yamato extended his bat to barely foul off the ball, still a strike.
0 balls and 2 strikes, the situation tilted instantly—Takeshima Shinya had no hesitation, positioning his glove still low on the inside—Forkball!
Lin Guanglai nodded, lifted his leg, swung his arm, and released!
The familiar white magic ball flew out again, performing its despair-inducing vertical drop once more.
Yamato swung, but his motion resembled a last-ditch struggle, with the bat futilely passing above the ball again, hitting nothing but air.
"Swing and miss for strikeout No. 19!!!"
Takeshima Shinya gripped the ball tightly, feeling its scorching heat; in the visiting team's dugout, everyone on the SoftBank Team stood, gripping the railing with both hands, their nails almost digging into the iron; in the media section filled with reporters, the sound of camera shutters was already mingling as one.
The ninth batter, a young pinch hitter from Hanshin, was sent to the field, his face written with panic and bewilderment, his figure in the batter's box like a reed swaying in the fierce wind.
In front of the seemingly blessed Lin Guanglai tonight, would there be any suspense in this at-bat?
Grim descent, effortless swinging! Another swing and miss!
"Swing and miss for strikeout No. 20!! He really did it!!!"
"Boom!!!"
Though the crowd was sparse, the SoftBank dugout and fan stands exploded with volcanic cheers and shouts—20 strikeouts on the stage of the Japanese majors, it was simply unimaginable!
Takeshima Shinya was so excited he almost crushed the ball until he exchanged it for a new one handed by the main umpire, which finally calmed his thoughts.
Two outs, the game with one more out to go.
Everyone awaited Lin Guanglai's decision: should he pursue higher heights, or take what he had already achieved?
Despite feeling some fatigue in his arm, Lin Guanglai remained on the pitcher's mound—he intended to use the upcoming 21st strikeout to conclude this miraculous evening!
Fixing his sights on home plate, the white baseball, with its baffling spin endlessly repeated tonight, whirled toward the plate!
The Hanshin batter knew it was coming, he also knew he must swing! His eyes locked on the ball's trajectory, almost tearing with effort, pouring all he had to capture that elusive path.
In full view once more, and for one final time, the ball in the air performed that unsolvable rotation and drop once more, a clean swing-and-miss voice cutting through the night sky of Koshien.
"Strike! Strikeout!! Game over!!!"
On the pitcher's mound, Lin Guanglai stood with legs apart, slowly raising his arms. He peacefully tilted his head back, eyes closed, taking deep breaths filled with the aroma of this baseball Holy Land's soil.
All SoftBank players in the dugout flooded onto the field like a breaking dam, crazily rushing toward the hero in the field—surrounding Lin Guanglai tightly, vigorously slapping his shoulders and back.
In the commentary booth, the lead commentator hoarsely repeated over and over:
"21 strikeouts, 3 home runs—how fortunate we are to live in such times! This night belongs to him alone! It's one of the greatest individual performances in baseball history! We witnessed history! We witnessed a legend!"
In the center of the field, Lin Guanglai was lifted by his teammates, thrown repeatedly into the air; during the rise and fall of his body, he could see Koshien's pitch-black sky, could see the enormous scoreboard in the outfield with his own exaggerated stats.
Tonight, he has become a legend!
