Anthony Kay pitched seven strong innings and the red-hot Masayuki Kuwahara drove in two runs as the Yokohama DeNA BayStars beat the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 5-0 on Wednesday, October 30 to even the Japan Series at two games apiece.
Kuwahara, who hit a solo homer and scored the first run in Tuesday's 4-1 win, hit a double off the wall in the seventh inning at Mizuho PayPay Dome that scored two runs and made it 4-0.
"After yesterday's win the mood has changed on the team and everyone is giving it their all," Yokohama manager Daisuke Miura said. "We've got another game here tomorrow and then we will go back to Yokohama."
After dropping the first two games at home, the BayStars have seized the momentum against the Pacific League champions who looked like they may be on their way to a sweep.
Tyler Austin put the BayStars ahead with an opposite-field solo shot to right off SoftBank starter Shuta Ishikawa in the fourth to make it 1-0.
"Austin started us off and we added some runs as the game went on, everyone kept it going at the plate and that was key," Miura said.
Miyazaki Extends the Lead in the 7th
Yokohama widened the lead to 2-0 when Toshiro Miyazaki led off the seventh with a solo blast to left off SoftBank reliever Shuto Ogata.
The BayStars then loaded the bases on hits by Kouki Kajiwara and Keito Mori and a walk to Yasutaka Tobashira.
With one out, Fukuoka manager Hiroki Kokubo brought in Shunsuke Iwai, who promptly gave up the double to Kuwahara.
Kuwahara was relatively quiet in the Central League Climax Series but has come alive at just the right time for Yokohama. The leadoff hitter finished Game 4 going 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
Austin singled in another run in the four-run seventh to complete the scoring for the BayStars.
Impressive Japan Series Debut for Kay
Kay, a former MLB pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets from 2019-23, relied on a variety of fastballs and off-speed pitches to keep the Hawks hitters off balance.
Yoshiyasu Sasagawa singled in the sixth and stole second with one out as SoftBank threatened.
After Ukyo Shuto walked, Sasagawa advanced to third on a groundout to first by Ryoya Kurihara.
That brought up PL home run leader Hotaka Yamakawa, but Kay got him to fly out to center to end the inning.
"Kay pitched a great game," Miura said. "He used his fastballs and off-speed pitches very effectively."
Kay finished the night with seven strikeouts while giving up four hits and just one walk over seven scoreless innings for the win.
Yuya Sakamoto retired the side in the eighth while JB Wendelken recorded three outs in the ninth to complete the shutout.
BayStars Seeking to Replicate Marines' Road to Glory in 2010
After finishing third in the Central League standings in the regular season, the BayStars eliminated the defending Japan Series champion Hanshin Tigers and the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants in the Climax Series.
They are bidding to become the first team in NPB to finish third in the standings and win the Japan Series since the Chiba Lotte Marines did so in 2010.
Meanwhile, SoftBank's vaunted offense has suddenly gone silent. Kurihara and Yamakawa, who batted third and fourth, respectively, both went 0-for-4.
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Author: Jim Armstrong
The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles on SportsLook.
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