"BOOOO!!!"
"BOOOOOO!!!!!"
"BOOOOO!!!"
In the stands, Japan fans who had come specifically to watch the game let out loud boos.
Clearly, they didn't like what they had just witnessed.
In their minds, Benjamin used to embody the spirit of a samurai.
Even when facing an opponent stronger than himself, he had courageously drawn his sword and faced the battle head-on.
His previous confrontations with Sawamura had showcased this very spirit.
Although Japan fans were diehard supporters of their own team, many of them had admired Benjamin's "I won't back down" attitude.
But now, that admiration was gone.
They had admired him before, but now they were just as disappointed.
They hadn't expected that the American team's pitcher would ultimately not be that impressive. They had initially thought of him as someone extraordinary.
Now, it seemed like they had overestimated him.
The American players, when it came to winning or losing, still couldn't escape the fate of ordinary men.
Compared to this dramatic battle, they cared more about the final outcome of the game.
Looking at the pitching stance, it was obvious that the American team was thinking of abandoning the direct confrontation.
This was the judgment of Japan fans, as well as those watching from the stands, including the players in the dugout.
In fact, it wasn't just Japan fans, but the majority of fans from Taiwan and even other countries who had come to watch the game.
Most of them shared the same opinion.
They, too, believed that the American team had run out of options and had already given up on the idea of a direct confrontation with Sawamura.
From the American perspective, Walking Sawamura was actually a very good choice at this point.
By analyzing the results of the previous confrontations, or based on previous outcomes, it was clear that Benjamin had a high chance of winning against Japan's other batters, including Todoroki and Renji.
So far, he had not allowed any of the domestic star players to hit anything noteworthy.
It was only when facing Sawamura, the "Great Demon King," that he had suffered some setbacks.
To say it mildly, the two home runs were simply minor setbacks; they hadn't actually determined the outcome of the game.
The real decisive moments in this game were two: one was the final out that would determine the score, and the other was when one side gave up on the game.
Now, while the final out was almost within reach, it hadn't come yet, had it?
On the other hand, even though the American players had been suppressed by Japan team in terms of scoring, they had never given up on fighting for the victory. Even when they were two runs behind earlier, they never thought of giving up. Now, they were only trailing by one run.
The American players were now even less likely to give up the game.
Each one was eager to perform, even wanting to score more runs.
They wanted to tie the game as soon as possible, or even take the lead.
Of course, there was a premise. In the process of catching up, they had to control their defense and, ideally, allow no further runs.
With that in mind, when the American players faced Sawamura or the Japanese team, they would do everything they could to control the score.
Avoiding direct confrontations was indeed a very wise choice.
It was clear that the American players had made their plans in advance.
When they acted, they did so without hesitation, as smooth as flowing water.
Once they made a decision, their execution was frighteningly efficient.
And now, that was exactly what was happening.
The American players were already prepared.
After Benjamin missed with his first pitch, the second pitch was just as far off.
The first pitch had been aimed at the outside corner, while the second was aimed at the inside corner.
It severely missed the strike zone and almost grazed Sawamura's chest before diving into the catcher's Mitt.
Such a dangerously close pitch left the fans in the stands gasping in shock.
"That was too dangerous!"
Due to the distance from the field, the view was somewhat blurred for them. Just now, many people thought the ball was about to hit someone.
The fans in the stands were buzzing with conversation.
Earlier, they had been quite optimistic about the American team, but now their attitudes had made a 180-degree turn.
It was unclear whether this was due to a personal issue with the American player, a matter of luck, or some other reason.
It seemed like this previously impressive American player, the Asian-faced Benjamin, was on the verge of falling apart!
His entire momentum had dropped several levels. Not only had the power of his pitches decreased, but even his control was vastly worse compared to before, making it painful to watch.
Could it be that Sawamura had scared him into submission?
This was a ridiculous guess, but it wasn't entirely off the mark.
In fact, this was one of the most likely possibilities.
If this guess turned out to be true, then the final result of today's game might also change. Originally, even though the American team was trailing by one point, their chances of winning weren't low.
From the momentum on the field, the odds of both teams winning seemed to be about 50/50.
In fact, the American team's players even seemed to have a slight edge.
A team with positive momentum and aggressive offense always holds some advantage.
That was one factor, and there was another.
Although Sawamura didn't know why, he seemed to be experiencing a brief resurgence.
But in the end, he had pitched for two consecutive days, and the game had been intense.
His physical stamina had taken a huge hit. Even if he could barely hang on until the ninth inning, he wouldn't be able to continue into extra innings.
This meant that if the game went to the ninth inning and the teams were tied, and they had to go into extra innings, Japan team would likely be finished.
The American team could substitute players, and their substitute was scary as hell.
Of course, Japan team could also substitute players; there were many pitchers left on their bench.
From that perspective, both teams seemed even.
But the reality was different. Whether the remaining pitchers can hold the American lineup is questionable.
It was difficult to trust them with the remainder of the game.
In this situation, if extra innings were to occur, Japan team would undoubtedly lose.
So, the only hope for Japan team was to end the game before the ninth inning.
They had to avoid taking the game into extra innings.
At this point, nearly everyone believed that the American players had come to terms with the situation. They were doing everything possible to avoid giving up any more runs, placing their hope for victory on the final stage.
Before the ninth inning ended, their requirement was simple: they just needed to score one more run.
As long as they tied the score with Japan team, the final victory would be theirs.
With this inherent advantage, what reason did they have to engage in a direct battle with Japan?
However, Sawamura, standing in the Batter's Box, had a completely opposite view.
Everyone thought the American players wouldn't continue the direct confrontation, but Sawamura wasn't thinking that way.
Anything could deceive people, but a person's gaze couldn't.
Benjamin on the pitcher's mound, with his hungry wolf-like gaze, didn't look like someone trying to avoid a confrontation.
Two pitches, seemingly very foolish, one had missed the farthest outside corner, and the other missed the innermost corner.
On the surface, they seemed harmless, and it was hard to imagine that these pitches had any significance.
Of course, they weren't entirely without meaning.
After all, weren't these two pitches just Balls?
But to think of it that way would be a huge mistake.
The American players weren't that simple; these sly and crafty guys were thinking several steps ahead.
They had probably already discussed their strategy and were just waiting for this moment to deliver a killer blow.
Although it was unclear what kind of pitch they would throw next, Sawamura was confident that the next pitch would definitely land in the strike zone.
Boom!
"BALL!!!"
It was as if the pitch was deliberately aimed at slapping Sawamura's face. The next pitch missed the height of the strike zone.
When Sawamura saw this pitch, he couldn't help but feel speechless.
Had he been overestimating the American players?
Perhaps these guys weren't as profound as he had imagined, and maybe they were just a bunch of amateurs after all.
If that were the case, then his previous actions would appear anything but clever and, in fact, quite foolish.
Sawamura certainly didn't want to admit he was being foolish.
But at this point, the American team had already thrown three Balls, essentially sealing off any possible escape routes for them.
If the next pitch wasn't a Strike, it would result in a Walk.
Could it be that these American players had gone crazy?
Sawamura couldn't understand. He simply couldn't figure out what was going through the minds of the American players.
Just then, the fourth pitch flew toward him.
Throughout the four pitches, Benjamin, the American ace pitcher, maintained a cold, emotionless expression.
From his face, you couldn't read anything.
...
T/N: Well, That's it for today.
Thank you all for reading!
Have a good day!
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