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BayStars Move to Brink of Japan Series Title with 3rd Consecutive Road Win

In their three victories in Fukuoka, the BayStars held the Pacific League champion Hawks to one run. The BayStars have a 3-2 lead in the Japan Series.

Published

1 day ago

November 1, 2024

Ed Odeven

Yokohama DeNA BayStars captain Shugo Maki crushes a three-run home run in the fourth inning in Game 5 of the Japan Series on October 31 at Mizuho PayPay Dome in Fukuoka. (©SANKEI)

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The home team has lost all five games in the 2024 Japan Series.

Yokohama DeNA BayStars starting pitcher Andre Jackson and captain Shugo Maki played pivotal roles in keeping this statistical trend alive in Game 5 on Thursday night, October 31 at Mizuho PayPay Dome in Fukuoka.

Jackson pitched seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball and Maki slugged a three-run home run in the fourth inning against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. The BayStars won their third consecutive game in Fukuoka, defeating the Hawks 7-0 and taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Up next: The BayStars return home to play Game 6 and, if necessary, Game 7 at Yokohama Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, November 2 and 3.

With one more victory, the BayStars would capture their first Japan Series title since 1998, when Hiroshi Gondo managed the club. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch for Game 1 of this championship series on October 26.

Looking ahead to Saturday's game, which is scheduled to start at 6:30 PM, BayStars manager Daisuke Miura, who has guided the club since 2021, said the team and its fans will be unified in pursuit of championship glory.

"We will join forces with our fans and give it our all to fight with all our might," Miura said, according to Nikkan Sports.

How the BayStars Took Control in Game 5

Yokohama pulled ahead 1-0 in the third inning on Yoshitomo Tsutsugo's two-out RBI single to center off Hawks starter Tomohisa Ohzeki, scoring Maki, who led off the inning with a hit.

In the fourth, the BayStars greeted reliever Jun Maeda, who had just taken over the pitching duties, with back-to-back singles by Masayuki Kuwahara, who was 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs in the BayStars' 5-0 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday, and Kouki Kajiwara to open the inning.

Maki followed by smacking a three-run shot over the left-field wall on Maeda's 1-2 offering.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.