It’s not like they were calling him “Losing pitcher Sumida” or anything, but Chihiro Sumida, Seibu’s top signing from the 2021 draft, did snap an unenviable streak on Wednesday, while Orix’s Frank Schwindel had a belated but memorable Japan debut in a game he didn’t expect to play in and which ended in riveting fashion.

Wednesday’s games

Buffaloes 2, Eagles 1: At Osaka Dome, Frank Schwindel went 3-for-4 in his Japan debut that helped lefty Daiki Tajima (2-1) pick up the win after he allowed a run over eight innings. Maikel Franco had one of the Eagles’ four hits off Tajima and scored the game’s first run on a fourth-inning single by Hiroto Kobukata.

Rakuten lefty Takahisa Hayakawa worked six scoreless innings innings before Orix tied it against the bullpen in the seventh on a walk, a sacrifice and a Yuma Tongu pinch-hit RBI single.

Orix catcher Tomoya Mori reached base for the third time, opening the eighth with an infield single and scored on Schwindel’s third single of the game.

Mori then secured the win in the ninth when he applied the tag on a play at the plate to end the game on a throw from substitute right-fielder Yuya Oda.

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