BayStars stay alive in 2017 Nippon Series

At the brink of elimination, the DeNA BayStars have grabbed the last straw and won game for of the Nippon Series. With two hits, the Softbank Hawks never came close to clinching the win as they fell to the BayStars 6-0 and were outhit 12-2.

Until the fifth inning both teams kept each other in check as Haruhiro Hamaguchi of the BayStars surrendered a hit, a walk and hit a batter with a pitch. Tsuyoshi Wada on his turn, gave up two hits to the BayStars.
But in the bottom of the fifth inning, Toshiro Miyazaki led off with a solo home run to left field. Back-to-back singles and a sac bunt that moved both runners over to third and second and a sac fly drove in the second run of the inning.

Another leadoff solo shot in the seventh, when Shuto Takajo connected for a blast that cleared the left field wall.

In the meantime, Haruhiro Hamaguchi pitched a gem. In 7.2 innings he gave up two hits and two walks, hit a batter with a pitch and fanned seven for the win.

In the eighth inning the BayStars score three more runs on timely hits by Toshiro Miyazaki and Shuto Takayo.

Tsuyoshi Wada took the loss. In five innings he gave up two runs on five hits, struck out five and walked one.

The Softbank Hawks will have a new opportunity to clinch the 2017 NPB championship tomorrow. Dutch starting pitcher Rick van den Hurk will likely take the mound in game five.