Chapter 9

Short Summary
At Tokuchi and Kojima’s rematch, Kojima misses the first two pitches. Tokuchi reveals he knows about Kojima’s wrist injury.

Long Summary
The day of Kojima and Tokuchi’s rematch, it’s raining. When it dies down, Kojima asks Kinosaki to wipe his bat off for him, and Tokuchi throws a few practice pitches to warm up. Konisaki whispers to Nakene that, despite pain killers, Kojima can’t turn his injured right wrist, and he won’t able to withstand the impact of the ball either.

Tokuchi’s ball lands near Kojima’s feet and he asks him if he can throw it back. Kojima puts his bat down to pick up the ball and throw it to Tokuchi.

Nakene says to Konisaki that if Kojima can’t turn his wrist, he can’t hit an inside pitch. His only chance is a pitch to the outside. Konisaki says that earlier on, Kojima had told him he thinks he has an advantage now that he knows his own weaknesses. Konisaki thinks it’s likely that Tokuchi will throw at least one pitch to the outside.

The first pitch is to the inside. Nakene wonders why Kojima didn’t pretend like he was going to hit it, but Kinosaki says petty feints won’t work on Tokuchi. The second pitch is to the inside again. Kojima is unfazed, but Tokuchi then tells him it’s a shame about it his right wrist. Kojima and Konisaki are shocked, and Tokuchi says he noticed the injury when Kojima put the bat down to throw Tokuchi his ball. Tokuchi winds up for the third pitch and taunts Kojima that he should be able to hit it since he bet his retirement on it after all.