The Japan Series began as a best-of-seven.
Now it’s a best-of-three.
Yusuke Oyama hit a sayonara single to give the Hanshin Tigers a 4-3 win over the Orix Buffaloes in a four-hour thriller in Game 3 at Koshien Stadium on Wednesday night.
“I got power from everyone cheering in the stands,” Oyama said.
The first Japan Series since 1964 to feature two teams from the Kansai region is now tied 2-2. Game 5 is scheduled for Koshien on Thursday night. The Tigers’ win guarantees there will be a Game 6 at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Saturday.
A series that began with an 8-0 win by each team in the first two games has suddenly become as tight as can be.
The contest went into the ninth tied 3-3 after a two-run single by Buffaloes third baseman Yuma Mune in the seventh.
Koji Chikamoto, who had three-hits, reached base on a one-out walk and made it to third when Buffaloes reliever Jacob Waguespack threw a pair of wild pitches against Takumu Nakano. The Buffaloes then intentionally walked Nakano and Shota Morishita to load the bases.
Oyama then ended a seven-pitch at-bat by drilling a 3-2 fastball into left field as Tigers players ran onto the field to celebrate and the fans roared from the stands.
“This is my first time in this kind of environment, and there have been some hard parts,” said Oyama, who is in his first Japan Series. “I’m grateful for the support from all the fans.”
Tigers reliever Suguru Iwazaki earned the win in relief after working a scoreless ninth.