2023 Japan Series

Japan Series

vs.

Japan Series (4-3): Hanshin Tigers (80-59-4, CL) over the Orix Buffaloes (86-53-4, PL)

Introduction

The 2023 Japan Series was the 74thd match-up of the champions of the Central League and Pacific League, Japan's top two circuits. It was the second Osaka Series, following 1964. Hanshin would win their second title, 38 years after the Curse of Colonel Sanders,

The Teams

Orix Buffaloes

Last year's champs were back again after posting the best record in the PL then topping the Chiba Lotte Marines in the 2023 Pacific League Climax Series. Managed by Satoshi Nakajima, they featured the top pitching staff in the PL. Their ace hurler once again was pitching Triple Crown winner Yoshinobu Yamamoto (16-6, 1.21). There were numerous other effective hurlers including Kohei Azuma (6-0, 2.06), Yoshihisa Hirano (3-2, 29 Sv, 1.13), Hiroya Miyagi (10-4, 2.27) and Soichiro Yamazaki (1-1, 9 Sv, 2.08). While their offense was only 4th in runs in the league, they did boast batting champion Yuma Tongu (.307/.378/.484). DH Tomoya Mori (.294/.385/.508) led the team with 18 homers.

Hanshin Tigers

Guided by Akinobu Okada, the Tigers had won the CL pennant then prevailed in the playoffs. They led their league in both runs scored and ERA. Koji Chikamoto (.285/.380/.429) played error-free defense in the outfield and led the league in runs (83), triples (12) and steals (28), while 1B Yusuke Ohyama (.289/.403/.456, 19 HR) led the circuit with 99 walks. 3B Teruaki Sato (.262/.339/.498) hit a team-high 24 home runs and drove in 92. Shoki Murakami (10-6, 1.75) won the ERA title and had a .74 WHIP while Hiroto Saiki (8-5, 1.82) was nearly as sharp. The bullpen was anchored by Daichi Ishii (1-1, 1.35), Hiroya Shimamoto (4-2, 1.69), Kyle Keller (1-0, Sv, 1.71), Suguru Iwazaki (3-3, 35 Sv, 1.77) and Takuma Kirishiki (2-0, 1.79).

Games

Game 1

October 28 at Kyocera Dome (33,701)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Hanshin Tigers	0	0	0	0	4	3	0	0	1	8	13	0
Orix Buffaloes	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1

Tigers: Shoki Murakami W (1-0) - Ren Kajiya - Yuta Iwasada

Buffaloes: Yoshinobu Yamamoto L (0-1) - Nobuyoshi Yamada - Jacob Waguespack - Taisuke Yamaoka - Shota Abe

Home Runs None

Hanshin's rookie ace far outperformed Yamamoto, the most dominant pitcher in Japan the past three seasons. Murakami allowed only two hits in seven, not giving up a baserunner until the fifth, in cruising to victory. Yamamoto did shut out Hanshin for four but then faded. Sato led off the fifth with a single, then stole second. That brought up DH Ryo Watanabe, a .177 hitter in the regular season. He came through with a RBI single then SS Seiya Kinami singled. Yamamoto got another out but Chikamoto delivered a two-run triple and 2B Takumu Nakano singled him in; the 1-2 punch of Chikamoto and Nakano combined for six hits from the top of the order.

An inning later, Ohyama drew a leadoff walk from Yamamoto and LF Sheldon Neuse had a one-out single. Yamamoto struck out Watanabe but that was the last out he got today as Kinami singled to make it 5-0 and a double by C Seishiro Sakamoto (a .255 slugger in the regular season) put the score at 7-0. While Ren Kajiya and Yuta Iwasada were completing the two-hit shutout for Hanshin, their team got one more insurance run in the 9th off Shota Abe. Chikamoto doubled for his third hit and advanced on a one-out single by RF Shota Morishita. Ohyama coaxed another walk then Sato grounded in Chikamoto. Playing in their first Series in nine years, the Tigers had demolished the defending champions today.

Game 2

October 29 at Kyocera Dome (33,584)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Hanshin Tigers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	3
Orix Buffaloes	0	0	1	3	0	0	3	1	x	8	12	0

Tigers: Yuki Nishi L (0-1) - Jeremy Beasley - Hidetaka Okadome - Hiroya Shimamoto - Ren Kajiya

Buffaloes: Hiroya Miyagi W (1-0) - Yuki Udagawa - Soichiro Yamazaki - Atsuya Kogita

Home Runs None

Game 2 was the exact opposite of Game 1. After Orix lost 8-0 yesterday, they won 8-0 today. Hiroya Miyagi, Yuki Udagawa, Yamazaki and Atsuya Kogita combined on a four-hit whitewash, not allowing a baserunner after the fifth inning. Meanwhile, Orix's rally started with a light-hitting player, #9 batter and LF Taishi Hirooka, who had a one-out single in the third off Yuki Nishi then came home on triple by 2B Masahiro Nishino (who had not had a hit longer than a double in the entire regular season). In the 4th, they got three runs with two outs. 3B Yuma Mune drew a walk from Nishi and then they got four straight hits - from SS Kotaro Kurebayashi, RF Tomoya Noguchi, Hirooka and CF Kei Nakagawa - chasing Nishi in favor of Jeremy Beasley.

In the 7th, Orix nearly doubled their lead. 1B Leandro Cedeno had a one-out single off Hidetaka Okadome and DH Tongu singled. After an out, Kurebayashi walked. Shimamoto came in but provided little relief as PH Marwin Gonzalez cleared the bases with a double. They got their last run in the 8th when backup 2B Koji Ohshiro reached on an error, C Mori doubled and Yuya Oda hit into another error, this one by Ohyama, to score the run.

Game 3

October 31 at Koshien Stadium (40,994)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Orix Buffaloes	0	0	0	1	3	1	0	0	0	5	9	0
Hanshin Tigers	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	4	10	1

Buffaloes: Kohei Azuma W (1-0) - Atsuya Kogita - Taisuke Yamaoka - Yuki Udagawa - Yoshihisa Hirano S (1)

Tigers: Masashi Itoh L (0-1) - Colten Brewer - Yuta Iwasada - Daichi Ishii - Takuma Kirishiki

Home Runs

Buffaloes: Yuma Tongu 1

Hanshin took the lead early at home against Azuma, on hits from Ohyama and Neuse and a grounder from Sakamoto. It was the only run Azuma would surrender in his five innings of work. His team tied it in the 4th against Masashi Itoh when Tongu launched the first homer of the Series. Kurebayashi opened the fifth with a single, and C Kenya Wakatsuki singled as well to put men on the corners. Hirooka grounded in a run then Azuma hit into an error by his counterpart. After an out, Mune came up big with a two-run double for a 4-1 lead.

Orix padded their lead in the 6th against Colten Brewer. Tongu singled, Gonzalez drew a walk, Kurebayashi bunted them over and Wakatsuki chipped in a sacrifice fly. Hanshin made it close in the 7th. Sakamoto greeted reliever Taisuke Yamaoka with a hit and Kinami singled as well. After an out, Chikamoto drew a walk to load the bases. Nakano's grounder cut it to 5-2 then Morishita singled in a pair to turn it into a one-run game. Udagawa closed out the inning and then threw a scoreless 8th. Hirano closed it out but it was not without a scare as he walked a pair before striking out Ohyama to end it.

Game 4

November 1 at Koshien Stadium (41,050)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Orix Buffaloes	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	12	3
Hanshin Tigers	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	4	10	1

Buffaloes: Sachiya Yamasaki - Motoki Higa - Shota Abe - Atsuya Kogita - Yuki Udagawa - Jacob Waguespack L (0-1)

Tigers: Hiroto Saiki - Takuma Kirishiki - Daichi Ishii - Hiroya Shimamoto - Atsuki Yuasa - Suguru Iwazaki W (1-0)

Home Runs None

Hanshin knotted the Series with the closest contest so far this event. As often, Chikamoto got it going, singling off Sachiya Yamasaki, advancing on a Nakano bunt and scoring on a hit from Morishita. Orix tied it in the second against Saiki when Tongo tripled and Kurebayashi had a one-out RBI single. The hosts retook the lead in the bottom of the inning, Kinami beginning the rally with a two-out single, then Saiki coaxing a walk from his counterpart and Chikamoto singling to left for a 2-1 lead.

In the 5th, Chikamoto got his third hit of the day. Nakano bunted into an error by Yamasaki, who was replaced by 40-year-old veteran Motoki Higa. Higa retired Morishita on a grounder, but Chikamoto took third on the play, then he scored on a grounder from Ohyama to make it 3-1. Saiki threw scoreless ball from the third through the fifth then Kirishiki turned in a scoreless 6th. In the 7th, though, Hirooka reached on an error and Cedeño had a pinch-hit single. Nakagawa bunted both men over then Mune again had a big hit, singling in a pair. Daichi Ishii, Shimamoto, Atsuki Yuasa and Iwazaki kept Orix off the scoreboard the rest of the day, though they got two men in scoring position in the 8th.

Chikamoto reached for the fifth time in the bottom of the 9th, drawing a walk from Jacob Waguespack. Chikamoto advanced to third with Mori's two passed balls, so Waguespack intentionally walked Nakano and Morishita, bringing up Ohyama. The cleanup man had been 2-for-15 for the Series but he came through with a single to drive in Chikamoto with his third run.

Game 5

November 2 at Koshien Stadium (41,031)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Orix Buffaloes	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	7	2
Hanshin Tigers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	x	6	10	3

Buffaloes: Daiki Tajima - Soichiro Yamazaki L (0-1) - Yuki Udagawa - Shota Abe

Tigers: Kotaro Otake - Junya Nishi - Hiroya Shimamoto - Atsuki Yuasa W (1-0) - Suguru Iwazaki

Home Runs

Buffaloes: Marwin Gonzalez 1

Orix was dominant for the first 7 1/2 innings before the hosts pulled off a stunning comeback against the potent Buffalo bullpen. Orix got on the board in the 4th when Gonzalez hit just the second homer of the Series, taking Kotaro Otake deep. Daiki Tajima helped his own cause by drawing a walk from Junya Nishi to open the 7th. With two outs, facing Shimamoto, Mori hit into a run-scoring error by second baseman Morishita. Tajima faced the minimum from the 4th through the 7th and left with a four-hit shutout in place.

Once Tajima left, though, his bullpen could not stop the Tigers' attack. Kinami greeted Yamazaki with a hit, followed by hits from PH Kento Itohara and Chikamoto to close it to 2-1. After Nakano bunted the potential tying runner to third and the go-ahead runner to second, Ugadawa relieved. Morishita redeemed himself from his error with a two-run triple then scored on a single by Ohyama. Abe tried his hand next but he walked Neuse, got one out then yielded a two-run triple to Sakamoto, Hanshin's second two-run triple of the inning.

Game 6

November 4 at Kyocera Dome (33,633)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Hanshin Tigers	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	9	0
Orix Buffaloes	0	2	0	0	2	0	0	1	x	5	8	0

Tigers: Shoki Murakami L (1-1) - Yuki Nishi

Buffaloes: Yoshinobu Yamamoto W (1-1)

Home Runs

Tigers: Sheldon Neuse 1

Buffaloes: Kotaro Kurebayashi 1, Yuma Tongu 1 (2)

A rematch of Game 1 gave Yamamoto a chance at redemption and he did his share, setting a new Series record with 14 strikeouts, topping the mark held by Yu Darvish and Kimiyasu Kudoh. He did fall behind early in his rematch with Murakami, as Neuse took him yard in the second inning. It was the first home run by a Hanshin player in a Japan Series in 20 years, since Katsumi Hirosawa did it. That ended a homer-less drought of 14 games. The lead was short-lived. Gonzalez singled in the bottom of the inning and LF Yutaro Sugimoto, the 2022 Series MVP, doubled. With one out, Wakatsuki singled in Gonzalez and a sacrifice fly by Nakagawa gave Orix the lead, which Yamamoto would not relinquish.

In the 5th, they got some insurance when Kurebayashi hit a homer off Murakami, with Nakagawa aboard. Tongu's second dinger of the Series, in the 8th off Yuki Nishi, meant that this game had more homers than the prior five games combined.

Game 7

November 5 at Kyocera Dome (33,405)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Hanshin Tigers	0	0	0	3	3	0	0	0	1	7	12	0
Orix Buffaloes	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	8	2

Tigers: Koyo Aoyagi - Hiroya Shimamoto - Masashi Itoh W (1-1) - Takuma Kirishiki - Suguru Iwazaki

Buffaloes: Hiroya Miyagi L (1-1) - Motoki Higa - Atsuya Kogita - Yuki Udagawa - Soichiro Yamazaki - Kohei Azuma

Home Runs

Tigers: Sheldon Neuse 1 (2)

Buffaloes: Yuma Tongu 1 (3)

The Curse of Colonel Sanders came to an end as Hanshin won their first title in 38 years and second ever, toppling the defending champions. Miyagi allowed one more than the minimum over the first three (though he was saved to some degree by three fine defensive plays by Mune in that time) as he looked set for a second fine outing this Series, but Hanshin solved him in the fourth. With one out, Morishita and Ohyama reached then Neuse hit a big three-run bomb.

In the 5th, they doubled their lead. Sakamoto singled and then Chikamoto singled, one of his four hits today; he would be named Series MVP. After an out, Higa relieved but Morishita doubled in a run then Ohyama singled in another and a a hit by Neuse made it 6-0, giving him a four-RBI day. Chikamoto fittingly scored their final run of the Series; in the 9th, he singled off Yamazaki, advanced on a grounder and scored on Morishita's third hit. With a 7-0 lead, closer Iwazaki replaced Kirishiki in the 9th inning, and the stadium played "Bridge of Glory" of the Yuzu. This song is the entrance song of Shintaro Yokota, a former Tigers player who died of brain cancer in July of this year. Iwazaki was drafted in the same year with Yokota, so he chose this song to honor him. Also fittingly, Orix's offense came from Tongu, whose homer off Iwazaki in the bottom of the 9th at least saved them from a shutout.