Shosei Nakamura Collects Three Extra-Base Hits in Career First as Carp Fall to Swallows

Shosei Nakamura continued to show signs of a late-season turnaround Sunday, collecting three doubles in the same game for the first time in his career as the Hiroshima Carp fell 3-1 to the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium.

Nakamura started in the No. 3 spot for the fourth consecutive game and went 3-for-4, recording his second three-hit game of the season. His previous three-hit performance came just four games earlier, when he collected four hits against the Hanshin Tigers on September 9.

After struggling badly earlier in the season and being sent down to the farm team three times, Nakamura was promoted to the first team for the fourth time on September 4.

“I wasn't able to do anything in the first half of the season, so I want to make up for that. I'm just taking it one game at a time. There aren't many games left, but I want to keep fighting until the end and do everything I can to help us win.”

Nakamura flew out to center in his first at-bat with one out and a runner on first in the opening inning.

“I didn't quite square that one up. I had to reflect on that, but I felt like I made a good adjustment in my second at-bat after getting down 0-2.”

That adjustment quickly paid off.

In the fourth inning, Nakamura doubled to left-center with two outs. He did it again with one out in the sixth, and then added a third double to left-center in the eighth inning.

It was the first time in his professional career that Nakamura had collected three extra-base hits in a single game.

The eighth-inning double also set up Hiroshima's only run of the afternoon. Ryusuke Kikuchi, batting cleanup for the first time in three years, followed with an RBI double to bring Nakamura home and cut Yakult's lead to 3-1.

Unfortunately for Hiroshima, the offense could not produce any more runs, and the Carp ultimately suffered a disappointing loss despite Nakamura's outstanding individual performance.

Nakamura had already established himself as a dangerous hitter last season, appearing in 104 games and batting .282 with nine home runs. This season, however, his progress was interrupted by repeated struggles and three separate demotions to the farm team.

Now back in the first team and showing signs of finding his rhythm, Nakamura is focused less on individual statistics than on making an impact during the remaining games.

“I'll keep working hard so I can give everyone as many good games as possible.”

Hiroshima's chances of reaching the Climax Series have become extremely slim, with the Carp 9.5 games behind the third-place DeNA BayStars.

But for Nakamura, there is still something to play for.

With the season winding down, the 27-year-old outfielder has an opportunity to leave a lasting impression and carry some momentum into next season.