Minoru Iwata had a closing ceremony after this game ended, as the Hanshin Tigers and their fans celebrated a wonderful 16-year career. He did not make a mound appearance during the game itself, but he could have… the team played with very little urgency. Only one base runner advanced past first base, and that was only thanks to a couple of wild pitches by the Dragons pitcher. Kento Itohara could be applauded for his three-hit night (accounting for ¾ of the team’s base hits), but he also committed a ghastly error on what should have been a fairly easy double play. Anyhow, with the Tigers’ loss and the Swallows’ win, the pennant winner has been determined and it was not us. The playoffs start on November 6 with the Tigers hosting the Giants at Koshien Stadium. Let’s get through the Climax Series and take the Japan Series anyways, guys! Great season!!! There will be plenty of analysis and recapping here in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned! Thanks for checking in on the scoreboards all season, everyone!
