Seibu Lions leadoff hitter Shogo Akiyama, who is in pursuit of Japan's single-season hits record, won his second Player of the Month Award on Tuesday, when the monthly honor roll was announced.
Three first-time honorees joined Akiyama, who collected his first monthly award in April, on the awards list. Fukuoka Softbank Hawks pitcher Shota Takeda won the Pacific League's Pitcher of the Month Award, while Tokyo Yakult Swallows first baseman Kazuhiro Hatakeyama and first-year Yomiuri Giants right-hander Miles Mikolas were honored in the Central League.
In June, Akiyama, who had a franchise-record 26-game hitting streak through Sunday, became only the second player in Pacific League history after Ichiro Suzuki to have back-to-back 40-hit months. Suzuki accomplished the feat in 1994, when his 210 hits in 130 games established a record that stood until Matt Murton of the Hanshin Tigers hit safely 214 times in the 144-game 2010 season.