SM028

Pulling Out the Pokémon Base Pepper! (Japanese: 熱闘ポケベース！ねらえ逆転ホームラン！！ The Fierce Match! Aim for a Home Run to Turn the Tide!!) is the 28th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, and the 967th episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on May 25, 2017 and in the United States on August 26, 2017.
==Blurb==
It’s the season for our heroes’ favorite pastime: Pokémon Base! Professor Kukui has arranged a special lesson for them, complete with a guest coach: Oluolu, the star player of the Magikarp team that just won the Pro League season.
After the students’ game, Team Rocket shows up to demand a Pokémon Base battle—with the winning team getting the star’s autograph. Oluolu teams up with the students, and it’s a close match until he unleashes his secret weapon: his Snorlax partner’s Z-Move, Pulverizing Pancake!
In appreciation for a good game, Oluolu offers Jessie his autograph anyway—but Bewear charges through and carries Team Rocket off before she can accept!
==Plot==
At 's house, , , and Professor Kukui are watching Pokémon Base. They watch as the pitcher throws a ball at who hits the ball into the wall. Oluolu takes his place to bat knowing he must get Gyarados and himself home to win the game. Oluolu hits the ball and sends it out of the park. The next day at School, the class discuss the game. Professor Kukui tells them that Pokémon Base will be what today's class will all be about. They have invited Oluolu to teach the class and are joined by Samson Oak. Outside, , , and their Pokémon are one team with Ash, , their partners on the other. The adults are acting as commentators as Oluolu explains the rules. Kiawe pitches the ball but Ash misses it. Soon the teams switch with Kiawe batting. Pikachu throws the ball which Kiawe hits. Sophocles runs around and catches the ball.
The game continues and Lana is the last one to bat. She surprises everyone when she hits the ball hard, sending it out of the park and giving them a home run. A disguised is walking past with Jessie holding a picture of Oluolu. is hit by the ball. They run into the school where Jessie spots Oluolu. Ash's team are declared the winners as Jessie makes their presence known and recite their . Jessie is keen to get Oluolu's autograph but they don't believe her. Oluolu gets involved and suggests they settle the dispute by having a game of Pokémon Base, which Jessie agrees to. Discussing tactics, James notes that they have a disadvantage with Oluolu on the other team. Jessie hits the ball and starts running the wrong way, causing Jessie to be out. The teams switch only for to throw the ball hard. Ash accuses Team Rocket of cheating, so they change pitcher. Kiawe is struck out as Meowth chuckles at his performance. Oluolu hits the ball and reaches safety. To win the game, Snorlax has to get home as Meowth vows that they will win. 
The ball strikes Snorlax's bat and grabs it. Mareanie runs over to James and hugs him affectionately. Oluolu makes it home but Snorlax has yet to run. Oluolu pulls out his secret weapon, a Z-Ring and powers up and has Snorlax use which sends Snorlax running for home as Meowth throws the ball towards . Wobbuffet catches the ball, only to be flattened by Snorlax as Professor Kukui declares Snorlax safe. Professor Kukui wraps up the game announcing the school has won as Jessie cries over not getting Oluolu's autograph only for Oluolu to come over and give her the autograph for a wonderful game. As Jessie goes to take the autograph, she along with the others are scooped up by , who arrives to carry them off to its den, preventing Jessie from getting Oluolu's autograph. After watching Team Rocket go, Oluolu thanks everyone for bringing back memories from when he began playing Pokémon Base.
==Major events==
===Debuts===
====Humans====
* Oluolu
====Pokémon debuts====
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* Jessie
* James
* 
* Samson Oak
* Oluolu
===Pokémon===
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international), (Japan)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ('s; Alolan form; Snowy)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (Samson Oak's)
* (Oluolu's)
* ()
* 
* (on television)
* (on television)
* (Alolan form; on television)
* (×6; on television)
* (; ×3)
==Trivia==
* Poké Problem: What sport will appear in today's episode?
** Host: 
** Choices: PokéSoccer, PokéRugby, Pokémon Base, PokéPingPong
** Answer: Pokémon Base
* The that appears on the television in this episode has the number "125" on its uniform, which is Electabuzz's number in the National Pokédex.
* and narrate the preview for the next episode.
* Oluolu breaks the fourth wall when he splits the two sides of the screen apart as Jessie was getting angry with Ash, , and some of their Pokémon. James also breaks the fourth wall in this episode when he explains about the ball that is about to throw.
* narrates the ending of this episode instead of the narrator. However, the narrator still narrates the beginning of this episode.
* The contraption that Meowth wears on his body during a flashback to his training is a reference to the series , where the main character wore a similar contraption on his body, in order to straighten out his arms, making him better at playing baseball. Kiawe wears a similar device during a later episode.
* In this episode, uses a variation of their .
** The motto has a baseball theme, much like the motto from The Double Trouble Header, 849 episodes earlier.
* This episode marks the first appearance of a in the since Tag! We're It...!, 451 episodes earlier.
===Errors===
* When discuss their strategy for the game, the brown fur on Meowth's tail is missing.
* When Ash, his classmates, and some of their Pokémon celebrate their victory over Team Rocket, the cap on Snowy is missing.
SM028 error 1.png|Meowth's miscolored tail
SM028.png|Snowy is missing its cap
===Dub edits===
* The Japanese text depicting Ash and his classmates' names when Rotom introduces them in the Pokémon Base commentary are edited out in the English dub.
* The Japanese texts depicting Ball, Swing, and 's names are edited out in the English dub.
* In the original version, only Rotom narrates the ending of this episode. However, in the dub, Rotom begins the ending narration, with the narrator finishing the remaining sentences.
==In other languages==
027
Category:Episodes written by Jun'ichi Fujisaku
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Yūji Asada
Category:Episodes directed by Junya Koshiba
Category:Episodes animated by Osamu Murata
Category:Episodes animated by Taki Yatagi
Category:Episodes by multiple animation directors
de:Pfeffer im Pokémon-Base-Spiel!
es:EP971
fr:SL028
it:SL028
ja:SM編第28話
zh:宝可梦 太阳＆月亮 第28集