The long wait is over. For just the second time in NPB (1950-present) history, the Hanshin Tigers are the best team in Japan. This series went down to the wire, but the final game was lopsided from the start. Even in the innings that the Tigers didn’t score, they knocked on the door and put some good lumber on the ball. Team ace Koyo Aoyagi (2021-22 CL-best 13 wins per season) took the mound after what was a disappointing season (4.57 ERA, 8-6 record) against the pitcher who owned the Tigers in Game 2. Just as Shoki Murakami and Yoshinobu Yamamoto swapped good outings for substandard ones, Miyagi was mortal in this one. The Tigers chased him in the fifth inning, having scored 5 runs off him. The party in Kansai took place in three places: Kyocera Dome (actual game), Koshien Stadium (public viewing), and Dotombori Canal (jumpers). Enjoy the offseason as champions, Tigers fans. We DID IT! Way to go, Hanshin Tigers! THANK YOU!!!
OMG! YES THEY DID. thanks for making every season leading up to this accessible. Enjoy it.
The pleasure is all mine! It was a thrill to bring the news to y’all this season (and in the years that preceded it).
To echo Branded, thank you for all you do! It’s not easy getting Tigers news in English and no one does it better than you! Hope you have some good offseason stories to tide us over too!
Thanks for the kind words. I’m working on the offseason stories part! Stay tuned!