Ace of the Diamond (ダイヤのA)

Monthly Baseball Kingdom

Mine-san!

Mine-san,

I need your article on the district tournament by the end of this week.

I know!

I assume you've already finished your article?

Of course I have—

Oh, no! Where did I save it?

Just like last year,

Inashiro won the West Tokyo Tournament this year,

but there were many interesting games to watch.

Like the game between Yakushi, a dark horse that took out Ichidai Third,

and Seido, the winner of the tournament six years ago.

What decided that game was...

Howling In the Summer

Furuya-kun and Todoroki-kun faced off.

Furuya-kun and Todoroki-kun faced off.

Play ball!

The ball just went "graaah."

It was so much more awesome than I imagined!

Another high fastball here.

Let's push him away by force.

Straight to the right-center fence!

We're going after...

...the pitcher's best pitch.

His fastball slows down when he throws from the stretch.

Our top batters won't have trouble hitting those pitches.

That's why I put Raichi to the front.

Stop getting mad over every hit, man.

You've got reliable teammates behind you.

Furuya!

I have to catch.

Nice cover, Furuya!

You reacted before I said it.

You're starting to get better.

You can only get experience from playing real games.

Being the starting pitcher for four games early in his first year

will be a big investment.

Man, they're owning us.

Looks like I'll have to break his heart.

When Raichi's second at-bat comes around.

They're switching him out now?

He was just getting started.

Hey...

It's only the second cycle.

You're playing aggressively, aren't you?

You're not gonna give our batters room to work with?

This is the pitcher relay for victory.

I hope you're ready.

Then Sawamura-kun went up to the mound.

Now, it's your turn.

All right. Let's go.

The Akikawa batters

were completely beaten by his pitch.

I assume it's a very tricky ball movement.

A moving fastball.

Is it wild enough to be a good weapon?

Or is it hardly useful at all?

Go check it out, Raichi.

I wanted to hit that fastball again,

but ever since I saw their video,

I've wanted to hit his pitch, too.

I can hit multiple kinds of pitches in one game.

This team is a lot of fun!

I'm not letting Tanba throw tomorrow.

Keep that in mind and carry out your duties tomorrow.

Remember what the coach said.

Our pitcher relay is to win.

Just think about connecting to the next pitcher today.

We're not gonna let them have their way.

Boys, if you want to hit a moving fastball,

you've gotta wait till the last second to swing.

One ball, two strikes.

Let's go!

The pitch you're most confident with!

A fastball to the inside!

Crap. This pitch.

I'm gonna lose.

Got it! Got it!

I got it!

Nice play!

Baiting with the moving pitch,

Nice, Sawamura!

then finishing him off with a four-seam.

His fastball's slowly becoming a powerful weapon.

Their pitcher relay worked magnificently.

Seido has the upper hand now.

Not bad, pitcher.

We're four runs down.

It's a little early, but we have no choice.

Yakushi High School has announced a change in players.

Replacing Mino-kun as pitcher is Sanada-kun.

Pitcher, Sanada-kun.

Don't let them get ahead any further, Sanada!

At the bottom of the third

with a runner on first,

Sanada-kun took the mound to reverse the tides.

That guy's... the ace!

He probably plans to get strikes on the inside,

then finish me off on the outside,

but I won't let you have your way.

Perfect timing!

First!

Yes, a double play!

Nice pitch, Sanada!

A cutter?

What's that, Chris-senpai?

It's a type of moving fastball.

Moving...

That's awesome.

So he's the upgraded version of Sawamura.

Yakushi Seido

But even then, Sawamura-kun...

I've been entrusted to pitch two more innings.

I'll shut them down and connect

to Kawakami-senpai!

Shortstop!

Yes!

Don't get too cocky, Sawamura!

Your luck's not gonna last!

By getting them out rhythmically,

he's able to play comfortably.

He's grown so much.

That's a great bunt.

First!

Nice bunt, Ota!

Nice bunt!

A runner on second now!

That's the first time I've seen Yakushi bunt.

Must mean they're serious about scoring this inning.

Not to mention the next batter's...

Batting first, third baseman, Todoroki-kun.

Here comes the crazy slugger!

Show us a big one!

What will Seido do now?

Will they be persistent about the relay,

and switch out Sawamura-kun, who's on a roll?

Or will they...

Todoroki!

Show us a big one!

Will they switch him out?

Or keep him in?

A m-messenger?

That's it?

Yeah, that's it.

If we could take out the reliever as he walked on,

we could've finished them off.

Don't lose to the same pitcher twice, Raichi.

Play!

I'm going...

...with Sawamura this inning.

For the first time...

...that man...