Sports

[ODDS and EVENS] Two Games Turned the Tide for Orix Buffaloes in Japan Series

The 2022 Japan Series champions seized momentum with back-to-back victories at Kyocera Dome in Games 4 and 5, recovering from two losses and a tie.

Published

1 year ago

November 3, 2022

Ed Odeven

The Orix Buffaloes celebrate their Japan Series-clinching victory on October 30 at Jingu Stadium. (ⒸSANKEI)

This article first appeared on SportsLook, JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website.

Looking back at the on-field drama of the Japan Series, Games 4 and 5 marked a two-day turning point for the Orix Buffaloes.

First, the Buffaloes edged the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in a 1-0 victory in Game 4 on October 26 at Kyocera Dome, winning despite a meager offensive output of three hits.

Then, the Buffaloes returned to work the next day with the positive vibes of still being very much alive in the best-of-seven series, including an unusual 3-3 tie in Game 2 sandwiched around losses in Games 1 and 3. The latter was a deflating 7-1 defeat.

Orix's path to a championship, its road to recovery, began with a combined pitching effort in Game 4 that slammed the door on the Swallows offense a day after the 2021 NPB champions pounded out 11 hits. Buffaloes manager Satoshi Nakajima made pitching changes at opportune times. And starter Taisuke Yamaoka and relievers Yuki Udagawa, Soichiro Yamazaki and Jacob Waguespack handled their assignments effectively.

Read the full story on SportsLook.

Author: Ed Odeven

Follow Ed on JAPAN Forward's [Japan Sports Notebook] here on Sundays, in [Odds and Evens] here during the week, and Twitter ＠ed_odeven, and find him on JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website, SportsLook.