DeNA Prepares Special Pitching Plans for Climax Series Against Giants
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DeNA is a baseball team in Japan. They will play the Giants soon.
The game is part of the Climax Series. This is a special series after the normal season.
DeNA finished in third place this year. Their record was 71 wins and 69 losses, with 3 draws.
This is the same record as last year. DeNA also finished third in 2024.
The team's coaches are thinking about pitching changes for the big games.
In American baseball, teams often use a closer for more than one inning. A closer is a top pitcher who finishes games.
Sometimes American teams use a starting pitcher as a reliever too. A starting pitcher usually begins the game. A reliever comes in later.
DeNA may try these ideas against the Giants.
The Climax Series schedule for 2026 was announced. It is called the 2026 JERA Climax Series Central League.
Vocabulary7 words
- Climax Series
- special games after the normal season to choose the champion
- draws
- games that end with no winner
- pitching changes
- when a team uses a different pitcher during a game
- closer
- a very good pitcher who plays at the end of a game
- inning
- a part of a baseball game
- starting pitcher
- the pitcher who begins the game
- reliever
- a pitcher who comes in after another pitcher
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Quiz
Answer key
1. 71 wins, 69 losses, 3 draws 2. The Giants 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
DeNA is a baseball team in _____. They will play the Giants soon.
The game is part of the _____ Series. This is a special series after the normal season.
DeNA finished in _____ place this year. Their record was 71 wins and 69 losses, with 3 draws.
This is the same record as _____ year. DeNA also finished third in 2024.
The team's coaches are thinking about _____ changes for the big games.
In American baseball, teams often use a _____ for more than one inning.
Sometimes American teams use a starting pitcher as a _____ too.
DeNA may try these ideas against the _____.
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