Japanese professional baseball Hiroshima Toyo Carp won the first game of the Climax Series.
Hiroshima won 3-2 in overtime in the first game of the Central League Climax Series First Stage against Yokohama DeNA Baystars held at Mazda Stadium in Hiroshima, Japan on the 14th. Shogo Akiyama, who returned from the major league, became the protagonist with a walk-off hit.
In the regular season, Hiroshima took second place and Yokohama took third place, 0.5 games behind. The first stage will all be held at the home stadium of second-place Hiroshima.
For Hiroshima, Hiroki Tokoda was the starting pitcher. He recorded 11 wins, 7 losses, and an ERA of 2.19 in 24 games this season. Yokohama's starting pitcher is Azuma Katsuki. He recorded 16 wins, 3 losses, and an ERA of 1.98 in 24 games this season. Central League multiple wins leader.
Azuma pitched 8 innings, allowing 5 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 2 runs. Tokoda allowed 8 hits, 1 home run, and 2 runs in 5 1/3 innings.
The first point was Yokohama. In the sixth inning, leadoff hitter Daishi Ota reached base with a walk, and with one out, Toshiro Miyazaki hit a two-run home run against Tokoda. He hit a 141km fastball and went over the left-center wall. Afterwards, a chance was created with 2 outs and runners on first and second base, but the inning ended with a ground ball to first baseman.
Hiroshima, who had only two hits through the fifth inning, immediately struck back in the bottom of the sixth. After one out, Kikuchi singled to second base and Noma hit a single to right, giving the team a chance to place runners on first and third base with one out. Nishikawa followed up with one run with a sacrifice fly to left field.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, Hiroshima's leadoff hitter Davidson walked on base against Azuma. With a sacrifice bunt, one out, second base, and pinch runner Hatsuki succeeded in stealing third base. Hiroshima tied the score at 2-2 with a squeeze bunt at third base with one out.
The game went into overtime. Yokohama's leadoff hitter Yudai Yamamoto hit a double to the left in the top of the 11th inning. A sacrifice bunt made it 1 out and 3rd base. However, the subsequent batters missed the opportunity to get away with a fly ball and strikeout at shortstop.
In the bottom of the 11th inning, Hiroshima's leadoff hitter Tobayashi reached base with a double to left. Hiroshima attempted a sacrifice bunt with no outs and 1st and 2nd bases with an automatic intentional 4th pitch, but the catcher threw it to 3rd base and got an out, making it 1st and 2nd bases with one out. A ground ball to second base resulted in runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs. Akiyama, who came out as a pinch hitter in the 10th inning and drew a walk, became a hero with a walk-off hit.