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A different route to an early advantage

Further record: 侍ジャパン — 積極的な打撃で大会前最後の実戦を快勝 髙橋宏斗は貫禄あふれる投球を見せる, TBS NEWS DIG — 井口ジャパン対外試合2連勝！髙橋宏2回零封 山口先制V打

Japan beat Hiroshima 5–1 in Miyazaki on November 8 in their final exhibition before the APBC. A day after using home runs to seize control, they strung together five consecutive two-out hits in the opening inning for three runs.

Yamaguchi drove in the first run, and the following at-bats kept the rally moving. That is an encouraging distinction before a short tournament: the lineup could convert baserunners without needing an opening-inning homer.

Takahashi faced pressure before settling in

Further record: 日刊スポーツ — 井口監督、初実戦から２連勝！高橋２回０封, 侍ジャパン — 積極的な打撃で大会前最後の実戦を快勝 髙橋宏斗は貫禄あふれる投球を見せる

Two hits and a stolen base put runners at the corners with one out in Takahashi’s first inning. A strikeout and a groundout ended the threat; he then retired the side in order in the second. His line was two innings, two hits, two strikeouts and no walks, hit batters or runs.

The official account also described additional bullpen work after his appearance as preparation for longer tournament assignments. The scoreless line mattered, but so did checking his readiness with runners aboard and his coordination with the catcher.

Eight pitchers kept the margin under control

Further record: TBS NEWS DIG — 井口ジャパン対外試合2連勝！髙橋宏2回零封 山口先制V打, 日刊スポーツ — 井口監督、初実戦から２連勝！高橋２回０封

Japan added a run in the second and another in the seventh. Hiroshima’s only run came on a seventh-inning solo homer. After Takahashi, seven pitchers handled an inning each, leaving that single run as the damage from an eight-man relay.

Tomoya Masaki, Misho Nishikawa and Seiya Watabe each had two hits. Japan’s 12 hits came from different parts of the lineup, with baserunning contributing as well. Continuing to create pressure after taking the lead was as encouraging as the four-run final margin.

Carry the seasonal foundation into Tokyo

Further record: NPB — Hiroto Takahashi annual statistics and profile, NPB — Koki Yamaguchi annual statistics and profile, NPB — Misho Nishikawa annual statistics and profile, 侍ジャパン — 積極的な打撃で大会前最後の実戦を快勝 髙橋宏斗は貫禄あふれる投球を見せる

Takahashi’s club season included 123⅔ innings, a 2.62 ERA and 135 strikeouts. Yamaguchi brought 38 homers, 81 RBI and a .602 slugging percentage for Lotte; Nishikawa’s 136 games, .290 average and .353 on-base percentage offered a different connective strength. Those regular-season samples explain the players’ roles beyond two exhibitions.

Japan next head toward the APBC at Tokyo Dome, starting November 12. The warm-up wins are welcome; the bigger hope is that varied scoring and coordinated pitching remain available when the margin is narrow and every out carries greater weight.