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2h ago

SoftBank Clinches Back-to-Back Pacific League Title With 4–1 Win Over Seibu

A rebuilt rotation plus emerging bats powered a recovery from early-season last place, sending Fukuoka to the Oct. 15 Climax Series Final Stage.

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Overview

  • Ryoya Kurihara delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the fifth inning, followed by a Tatsu Yanagimachi RBI single to cap a three-run frame.
  • Kodai Arihara held Seibu to one run over seven innings with seven strikeouts to secure his 13th win, joining Tomohisa Ozeki (13), Livan Moinelo (12) and Naoyuki Uwasawa (12) as double-digit winners.
  • Closer Kazuki Sugiyama recorded his 30th save to finish the four-game winning streak clincher.
  • SoftBank rebounded from injuries and a season-worst seven games under .500, a comeback from that deficit to win the league not previously achieved by the club in the two-league era.
  • Club president Yoshimitsu Goto said manager Hiroki Kokubo will return next season, as the team now awaits the Climax Series Final Stage starting Oct. 15 in pursuit of a Japan Series berth.