This article first appeared on SportsLook, JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website.
Masataka Yoshida hit home runs all season long for the Orix Buffaloes. For a while it looked like he wouldn't hit one in the Japan Series, but that all changed in Game 5 on Thursday, October 27.
Yoshida connected for two homers, including a tie-breaking two-run sayonara shot in the bottom of the ninth inning, to lift the Buffaloes to a 6-4 win over the defending champion Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
The two teams now head back to Jingu Stadium for Game 6 on Saturday with two wins and a tie (a 2-2 stalemate in 12 innings in Game 2).
Yoshida's dramatic shot into the upper deck at Kyocera Dome followed a complete meltdown by Yakult closer Scott McGough.
Read the full story on SportsLook.
Author: Jim Armstrong
The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for more than 25 years. You can find his articles here.
