The Hanshin Tigers succeeded in advancing to the Japan Series for the first time in 9 years.
Hanshin won 4-2 against Hiroshima Toyo Carp in the third game of the Climax Series Final Stage held at Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan on the 20th. Hanshin, which started the series with one win by winning the Central League championship (85 wins, 5 draws, 53 losses), defeated Hiroshima with 3 consecutive wins and succeeded in advancing to the Japan Series with 4 wins and undefeated.안전놀이터
Seishiro Sakamoto led the team to the Japan Series with 2 hits and 2 RBIs in 4 at-bats. A missed ball in the 6th inning became a lucky hit at the right time, making him the winner. Seiya Kinami, who hit the walk-off hit in Game 2, also continued her good hitting by recording multiple hits.
Starting pitcher Kotaro Otake allowed 7 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, and 2 runs in 5 innings. The bullpen team led by Takuma Kirishiki (2 scoreless innings) – Yuta Iwasada (1/3 scoreless inning) – Daichi Ishii (1/3 scoreless inning) – Hiroya Shimamoto (1/3 scoreless inning) – Suguru Iwazaki (1 inning no score) is the stepping stone to a comeback victory. prepared.
For Hiroshima, starting pitcher Hiroki Tokoda took the loss, allowing 5 hits, 2 strikeouts, 3 walks, and 3 runs in 6 innings. Hiroshima’s batting lineup consisted of Ryosuke Kikuchi, Kaito Kozono, Takashi Emoto, and Shogo Sakakura, who had multiple hits and 10 hits, but it was disappointing that they were unable to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Both teams had a tight pitching battle with no scores until the third inning. Hiroshima had a chance in the top of the fourth inning with Takashi Emoto’s double and Shogo Yakiyama’s infield hit with two outs and runners on first and third base. Shogo Sakakura scored the first run with a timely hit with 1 RBI.
Hanshin launched a counterattack immediately in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hanshin, who had a chance with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd base thanks to walks by Takumu Nakano and Yusuke Oyama, succeeded in turning the game around with Sheldon Noiji’s 1-run, timely hit and Seishiro Sakamoto’s 1-run, timely hit.
Hiroshima created a chance in the top of the 5th inning with hits by Ryosuke Kikuri and Kaito Kozono with one out and runners on first and third base, and Shota Tobayashi hit a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 2-2.
Hanshin, which allowed the score to be tied, had a chance in the bottom of the sixth with Teruaki Sato’s hit and Noiji’s walk with two outs and runners on first and second base. Sakamoto hit a missed ball, but the ball fell perfectly between the second baseman and right field and became a hit, and Sato, the second base runner, went all the way home, giving Hanshin the lead again, 3-2. First base runner Noisy ran to third base and was tagged out, so the chance did not last.
However, in the 7th inning, Hanshin had a chance with the bases loaded with one out thanks to a hit by Seiya Kinami, a sacrifice bunt by pinch hitter Ryuhei Obata, an intentional 4th pitch by Koji Chikamoto, and a walk by Nakano, and Shota Morishita got away with a 4-2 walk.
Hiroshima had their last chance in the top of the 9th inning with Takayoshi Noma’s walk and Kozono’s hit with one out and runners on first and second base, but Tobayashi struck out and Ryoma Nishikawa was caught with a fly ball to left field, ending the fall baseball season without a single win. .
Japanese media Nikkan Sports said, “Hanshin advanced to the Japan Series for the first time in 9 years with 4 wins and no losses. This is the fifth time that the Central League champion team has advanced to the Japan Series undefeated, following Yakult last season. “We achieved a come-from-behind win in three consecutive games and showed the power of a league champion,” he said, announcing Hanshin’s advancement to the Japan Series.
Kinami, who hit .500 in the final stage of the Climax Series, including a walk-off hit in Game 2, was selected as Series MVP. Kinami, who played as an 8th hitter and shortstop, said, “I was surprised to be selected as MVP. “More than anything, I think the good defense in the three games led in a good direction,” he said of his MVP thoughts. Regarding the MVP prize money of 2 million yen (about 18.05 million won), he laughed and said, “I haven’t thought about where I will spend it yet.”
Hanshin succeeded in advancing to the Japan Series with a win that day. This is the team’s first advance to the Japan Series in 9 years since 2014, when Oh Seung-hwan (Samsung) played as the closing pitcher. At that time, Hanshin faced Softbank and lost with 1 win and 4 losses, finishing in runner-up. Hanshin’s only Japan Series victory was in 1985. Hanshin met Seibu that year and won with 4 wins and 2 losses, winning the long-awaited championship. However, since winning the championship in 1985, they have only finished runner-up three times (2003, 2005, and 2014).
Coach Akinobu Okada, who led Hanshin to the Japan Series in 2005, said about returning to the Japan Series after 18 years, “During the three games of this series, more than 90% of the stadium was filled with Hanshin fans. Thank you for your great support. First of all, we surpassed our first goal, the Climax Series. “The winner of the Pacific League has not yet been determined, but we will do our best to win on a higher stage,” he said.
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