[tehsuigi]

At Season's End

The Shizuoka Arrows finished 2nd in the Pacific League at 83-60, 6 games back of the Orix Buffaloes who sealed their first PL pennant in 17 seasons. They will be hosting the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, who rode a 14-7 September to steal third place in the last weekend of the season, in the best-of-three Climax Series First Stage. The Eagles won the season series 10-7, but are just .472 away from Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi.

Game 1: Shizuoka 9, Tohoku Rakuten 0
This one was over from the word "ike" - Arrows captain Koji Kashima took Eagles ace Mincho Nozawa deep with a 2-run blast in the bottom of the 1st, then Shizuoka first baseman Tomoki Yamauchi picked up 6 RBIs on 2 dingers and a double. Nozawa failed to get out of the 4th, while Arrows ace Shigejiro Matsumoto cruised through eight innings, striking out 9.

Game 2: Tohoku Rakuten 4, Shizuoka 2
A big fourth inning against Arrows leftie Takao Koike has given the Eagles life in this first round, courtesy of a 2-run single from 3B Kyotaka Okamoto and an RBI double from first baseman Yoshimasa Abe afterwards. Rakuten starter Koto Oshta got through 6 innings of 2-run ball for the win, with ex-Arrow Rintaro Takashima getting the 2-inning save for the Eagles.

Game 3: Tohoku Rakuten 1, Shizuoka 0
The champions have been defeated. Shizuoka starter Kim Chae-bong only allowed one run on five base runners in 6 innings of work, with Eagles right fielder Toshtaka Hirayama getting the lone RBI for the visitors. Rakuten's starter Shigekatsu Maeda went 7 2/3 scoreless, but left the game in the 8th due to injury. Takashima picked up the save to twist the knife against his former team.

The dynasty, at long last, has been felled.
For his valiant efforts, and .417/.462/1.000 slash line, Arrows first baseman Tomoki Yamauchi won the series MVP.