Baseball

Orix Survives Late Scare to Defeat Yakult for First Japan Series Title in 26 Years

Buffaloes starter Hiroya Miyagi and outfielder Yutaro Sugimoto were the Game 7 heroes for the Pacific League champions.

by
Jim Armstrong
October 31, 2022

The Orix Buffaloes defeated the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 5-4 in Game 7 on Sunday, October 30 to complete a stunning comeback against the defending champions and win their first Japan Series title in 26 years.

Down by two losses after the first three games (Game 2 ended in a 3-3 tie), the Pacific League champion Buffaloes won four straight games to avenge last year's 4-2 loss to the Swallows in the championship final.

Orix starter Hiroya Miyagi went five strong innings and Yutaro Sugimoto hit a bases-clearing liner to center as the Buffaloes scored four runs in the top of the fifth to knock Yakult starter Cy Sneed out of the game.

Japan Series MVP Yutaro Sugimoto (ⒸSANKEI)

Sugimoto Receives MVP Award

Sugimoto, who struggled early on in the series but came up with some clutch hits and big defensive plays during his team's four consecutive wins, was named series MVP.

"Yakult is such a strong team," Sugimoto told Kyodo News. "Losing last year left us with a bitter taste in our mouths. We were able to get back at them this time, though, and it feels good."

The Buffaloes didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard before a near-capacity crowd at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium, home of the Central League champion Swallows.

The Buffaloes' Ryo Ohta smacks a leadoff homer in the first inning. (ⒸSANKEI)

Leadoff batter Ryo Ohta crushed the very first pitch of the game from Sneed for a solo homer to center that gave the Buffaloes an early 1-0 lead and seemed to set the tone.

"We really wanted to score first," Orix manager Satoshi Nakajima said. "Ohta doing that unbelievably on the first pitch was big for us. I put him in the lineup and batted him first because I wanted a guy who was going up there to swing the bat."

It could have been much worse for Yakult in the first frame. Sneed proceeded to load the bases but got Kotaro Kurebayashi out on a strikeout to end the inning.

*Swallows center fielder Yasutaka Shiomi misplays a fly ball hit by the Buffaloes' Yutaro Sugimoto in the fifth inning. (ⒸSANKEI)*

Costly Fielding Miscue for Swallows

Sneed recovered nicely and looked to be in control until the fifth.

With runners on second and third and two out, Sneed walked Keita Nakagawa to load the bases. He then hit Masataka Yoshida with a pitch to force in the second run of the game.

Sugimoto then hit a sharp liner to center. Yakult center fielder Yasutaka Shiomi tracked the ball down but appeared to lose it in the lights and three runs scored when the ball got past him.

Shiomi was charged with an error on the play, meaning Sugimoto was not credited with the RBIs.

*The Swallows' Jose Osuna whacks a three-run homer in the eight inning. (ⒸSANKEI)*

Osuna Delivers Big Hit in Eighth

Jose Osuna made it tense for Orix with a three-run homer off reliever Soichiro Yamazaki in the eighth to cut the lead to 5-4 before Motoki Higa came in to strike out Yuhei Nakamura and get Domingo Santana on a comebacker to the mound.

Then it was all up to closer Jacob Waguespack, who got Hideki Nagaoka and Souma Uchiyama on fly outs before striking out Shiomi to seal the win.

Miyagi got the win after giving up no runs and allowing three hits while striking out five over five innings. Higa got the hold and Waguespack earned the save.