Since the start of the 2021 NPB season, Orix star Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been incredibly dominant. He owns a 47-15 win-loss record in that span.
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks starter Shuta Ishikawa tossed Nippon Professional Baseball's first no-no of the season against the Saitama Seibu Lions on August 18.
Ponce, a former Pittsburgh Pirates player, became the Pacific League franchise’s first pitcher to throw a no-no since Yukihiro Nishizaki in 1995.
The reigning Sawamura Award winner became the fourth NPB pitcher to accomplish the special feat this season.
The 28-year-old veteran struck out nine batters and issued only one walk.