SoftBank defeated DeNA 2-1 in 10 innings in Game 3 of the Japan Series on Tuesday, taking a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship and moving one win away from a second consecutive title, according to NHKニュース. Tomoya Masaki ended the game with a walk-off home run in the 10th inning.
The result gives the Hawks their third straight win of the series and puts them on the verge of clinching the Japan championship. Game 3 was the third consecutive game of the series to go to extra innings, according to パ・リーグ.com.
Why it matters
A 3-0 series lead means SoftBank can close out the title with a single win, and no team in the series has yet found a way to beat them. For DeNA, the loss leaves the club needing four straight victories to avoid defeat in the championship, a scenario that has become increasingly remote with each extra-inning result.
The game also extended a pattern that has defined the series so far: tight, low-scoring contests decided late. All three games have required extra innings, which has placed heavy demands on both bullpens and turned each late inning into a high-pressure situation.
Pitching holds DeNA to one run
SoftBank starter Haru Matsumoto pitched six innings and allowed one run, a performance he described afterward as one in which he turned nervousness into strength, according to 西スポWEB OTTO!, as cited by Yahoo!ニュース. His outing kept the Hawks within reach and set up the late finish.
The decisive blow came from Masaki, whose home run in the 10th inning ended the game and sealed the 2-1 final score reported by NHKニュース.
For DeNA, the loss centered on another late-inning failure. Closer Reynolds surrendered the game for the second consecutive relief appearance, and he covered his face with his glove in frustration after the result, 中日新聞Web reported. The outlet noted online reaction describing the short series as mentally punishing for the pitcher.
What to watch
DeNA faces elimination in Game 4 and must win to keep the series alive, while SoftBank needs one more victory to secure the Japan title.
