Sports

BASEBALL | Masataka Yoshida the Hero as Orix Rallies in 9th for Game 5 Win over Yakult

Yoshida connected for a two-run sayonara homer off Scott McGough to send the Japan Series back to Tokyo all tied up. Game 2 ended in a tie.

Published

1 year ago

October 28, 2022

Jim Armstrong

Orix Buffaloes star Masataka Yoshida belts a game-ending, two-run homer in the ninth inning against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Game 5 of the Japan Series on October 27 at Kyocera Dome. (KYODO)

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.