An ace pitcher is expected to lead his team to victory any time.
But Toshiya Sugiuchi could only regret the outcome of the Softbank Hawks' first game of the Pacific League Climax Series final stage against the Chiba Lotte Marines at Yahoo Dome on Thursday night.
The 29-year-old lefty allowed three runs on a three-run home run to Chiba's Shoitsu Omatsu in the second inning in Softbank's 1-3 loss.