Read the full story on SportsLook - Kay and Kuwahara Lead the Way as BayStars Blank Hawks and Even Japan Series
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.
Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.
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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.
