On Oct. 5, 2010, Matt Murton made NPB history with a single into center on a wet night at Jingu Stadium that propelled him past Ichiro Suzuki and established a new NPB record for hits in an single season.
Almost five full years later, Murton was back at Jingu Stadium — and so was the rain — musing about his feelings on possibly losing the mark to the Seibu Lions' Shogo Akiyama, who tied the record of 214 with a blistering 5-for-5 performance against the Orix Buffaloes on Wednesday night at Osaka Dome.
Akiyama was scheduled to face the Orix Buffaloes later Thursday night in the Lions' final game of the season.