Van den Hurk clinches first win of 2018

After losing his first start of the season due to lack of run support, Dutch RHP Rick van den Hurk bounced back by pitching six quality innings for his first win of the season as the Softbank Hawks beat the Nippon Ham Fighters 8-5.

In the game vs the Nippon Ham Fighters, Rick got plenty of run support. It started in the first inning when the Softbank Hawks scored four runs thanks to a double by Yuichi Honda, singles by Shigenori Kamabayashi and Seiichi Uchikawa and a home run by Alfredo Despaigne that drove in two runs.

In the third inning, Brandon Laird drove in the first run for the Fighters on a single to center field. In the next inning, Rick gave up a solo home run to Ota Taisuke that sailed over the left-center field wall.

Even though the Fighters managed to get runners on base in the next two innings, Rick kept them from scoring.

In six innings, Rick threw 126 pitches and retired seven batters on a strikeout. He allowed three walks and two earned runs.

In the Tweet below, Rick is getting the hero interview.

4/11 福岡ソフトバンク(@HAWKS_official)･バンデンハーク投手・上林選手ヒーローインタビュー
https://t.co/AvRyifWkhG #sbhawks

— パ・リーグ.com / パーソル パ・リーグTV【公式】 (@PacificleagueTV) April 11, 2018

Summary of the game:

4/11福岡ソフトバンク(@HAWKS_official)対北海道日本ハム(@FightersPR)試合ダイジェスト #sbhawks #lovefighters pic.twitter.com/79V7I3CgQd

— パ・リーグ.com / パーソル パ・リーグTV【公式】 (@PacificleagueTV) April 11, 2018