Hint：日本プロ野球の頂点を決める日本シリーズですが、さて今年の最終戦となった10月26日木曜日の試合の様子はどうだったのでしょうか？
Nippon-Ham Fighters 4, Chunichi Dragons 1
Will it go down in history as the Shot Heard 'Round Hokkaido? Who knows, but one thing is for sure: Fernando Seguignol's sixth-inning, two-run homer Thursday night in Sapporo won't soon be forgotten by the Fighters' faithful.
Seguignol golfed a Kenshin Kawakami delivery over the wall in right field to snap a 1-1 tie and Yu Darvish went seven-plus quality innings as the Nippon-Ham Fighters beat the Chunichi Dragons 4-1 to claim the second Japan Series crown in franchise history.
When Fighters closer Micheal Nakamura got pinch-hitter Alex Ochoa to fly out to end the game, the ticker-tape and the tears were both flowing at soldout Sapporo Dome.
Thursday's victory gave Trey Hillman's Fighters, who were last in the Japan Series in 1981, a 4-1 series win and sent their rabid fans into party mode. It marks the second straight year that an American manager has piloted his club to the Japan Series title after Bobby Valentine's Chiba Lotte Marines won it all last season.
"Wonderful pitching, wonderful defense," said Hillman after the game. "It's a blessing to be able to manage this group of men. Can't put it into words, this feeling of elation. So many pieces came together, but the bottom line is that if it wasn't for our great fans, we would not be where we are right now."
Darvish, a 20-year-old right-hander in his second year as a pro, went 7 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and one run. He struck out six on his way to evening his 2006 Japan Series record at 1-1 after taking the loss in the opener.
Dragons ace Kawakami, who won 17 games this season, took the loss. Kawakami lasted six innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out four.
The Dragons drew first blood in the top of the fourth. With two out and the bases loaded, Masahiro Araki hit a ground ball to the right of first baseman Michihiro Ogasawara, who dived to stop the ball but was unable to make a clean pick-up. Veteran Kazuyoshi Tatsunami, who had singled to lead off the inning, came home from third on the play to put Chunichi up 1-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Fighters struck back. Naoto Inada sent a double over the head of Dragons center fielder Hidenori Kuramoto and a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by Shinya Tsuruoka moved the runner to third. With light-hitting shortstop Makoto Kaneko in the batter's box, Hillman put the squeeze play on. As Inada raced home, Kaneko squared to bunt and sent a slow roller back toward the mound. Kawakami scooped the ball home with his glove, but Inada slid home safely to even the score.
An inning later, Seguignol sent the 42,000 fans on hand at the Dome into a frenzy when he connected on a Kawakami cut-fastball with a man on base and deposited it into the right-field stands. Seguignol, a 31-year-old former New York Yankee from Panama who will likely never have to buy a drink in Sapporo again, also homered in Game 2.
Atsunori Inaba nailed a solo homer, also his second of the Series, for Nippon-Ham off reliever Yuichi Hisamoto in the bottom of the eighth to increase the margin of victory to 4-1. Inaba, who was 6-for-17 with seven RBIs over the five games, was named Series MVP.
Fighters veteran Tsuyoshi Shinjo brought down the curtain on his 14-year career in Japanese baseball. The outfielder struck out in the eighth inning in his final at-bat as tears rolled down his cheeks, evidently unaware of the old maxim that there's no crying in baseball.
"Shinjo was a joy to manage," Hillman said. "It's sad that he's retiring, but it's a wonderful send-off to be a champion."
