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3RD LD: Nippon Ham wins Japan Series on Seguignol's 2-run shot
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SAPPORO, Oct. 26 Kyodo
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(EDS: ADDING SEGUIGNOL QUOTE, EDITING)
Fernando Seguignol hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth
inning and Yu Darvish threw 7-1/3 strong innings Thursday as the
Nippon Ham Fighters beat the Chunichi Dragons 4-1 in Game 5 to
capture their first Japan Series title in 44 years.
Seguignol drove a 2-1 pitch from Chunichi ace Kenshin Kawakami
(1-1) over the right-field wall with one out and a runner on third,
giving Nippon Ham a 3-1 lead at Sapporo Dome and helping the Pacific
League winner wrap up the best-of-seven series with its fourth
straight victory.
''It was a great pitch, and I just had a good swing on it,''
Seguignol said. ''I was just looking to get the ball out to the
outfield (at least for a sacrifice fly) because I knew one run would
be huge for our bullpen.''
The Fighters won their first crown since 1962, when they were
known as the Toei Flyers. American manager Trey Hillman piloted the
club to the title in his fourth year at the helm and third season
since the move from Tokyo Dome to Hokkaido.
''I can't believe it! The fans in Hokkaido are No. 1 in the
world,'' the 43-year-old Hillman said in Japanese. ''We had wonderful
pitching and wonderful defense,'' he continued in English.
Hillman became the second foreign manager to lead a PL team to a
title victory after Bobby Valentine achieved the same feat with the
Lotte Marines in 2005.
'' It's a blessing to have an opportunity to work with this
organization. It's a blessing to have an opportunity to work with
this group of men,'' he said.
Kensuke Tanaka singled to center leading off the sixth, stole
second and took third on Michihiro Ogasawara's groundout to first,
setting the stage for the 2004 PL home run king's blast into the
corner seats. Tanaka had three singles in four at-bats.
In what is likely to be his final game appearance, Tsuyoshi
Shinjo was unable to fight back his tears in the bottom of the eighth
with the team leading 4-1 and broke down before striking out swinging
in his final at-bat.
''Shinjo was a joy to manage. He brought a lot of energy into
this dome. It's sad that he's retiring but what a wonderful send off
to be a champion.'' Hillman said.
The 34-year-old center fielder finished 1-for-4 with a
sixth-inning infield single. He has not yet said whether he will
participate in the upcoming Asian Series against the champion teams
from China, South Korea and Taiwan.
Darvish (1-1) allowed one run and eight hits -- all singles,
while striking out six and walking three and got revenge for his loss
in Game 1 against Kawakami, who gave up three runs and six hits in
six innings this time out.
Chunichi opened the scoring in the top of the fourth when
Masahiro Araki delivered a two-out bases-loaded infield single,
breaking the Central League champion's scoreless streak at 20 innings
from the second inning in Game 3.
Nippon Ham first baseman Ogasawara attempted a diving catch of
Araki's sharp grounder, but the ball squirted out of his glove.
Ogasawara could not throw anywhere, with Araki sliding head-first
into first base.
''I just gave it my all there,'' said Araki, who was 1-for-16 in
the series before that at-bat.
Darvish, however, retired the next batter, Hirokazu Ibata, on a
flyout to right to end the inning.
Earlier in the frame, Kazuyoshi Tatsunami had a leadoff single
to right. Two outs later, Motonobu Tanishige and Hidenori Kuramoto
drew walks to juice the bases.
Nippon Ham tied the score in the bottom of the fifth when Makoto
Kaneko laid down a squeeze bunt on a 1-1 outside pitch with one out,
scoring Naoto Inada from third.
Inada had led off the inning with a double over the outstretched
glove of center fielder Kuramoto and moved to third on Shinya
Tsuruoka's sacrifice bunt before sliding home.
In the eighth, Atsunori Inaba hit his second home run of the
series with a solo shot to right off Yuichi Hisamoto, extending the
lead to three runs.
Inaba was named the series MVP after hitting .353 (6-for-17) and
drove in seven runs -- all in the last three games.
''I didn't play well during the playoffs, so I really wanted to
do my best in the Japan Series,'' Inaba said. ''This is an incredible
feeling. I got swept up in the momentum of everyone cheering and we
pulled together as a team to win.''
Micheal Nakamura retired the side in order in the ninth to pick
up his third save in the series. Pinch-hitter Alex Ochoa flied out to
left fielder Hichori Morimoto for the final out.
Hiromitsu Ochiai's Dragons were seeking their first Japan Series
title in 52 years but suffered from a lack of run-production after
winning Game 1 4-2 in Nagoya.
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