SoftBank and DeNA win as Japan's Climax Series final stages open
In short
SoftBank beat Nippon Ham 6-4 and DeNA defeated Hanshin 2-0 as both leagues' Climax Series final stages opened on October 14. Including the league champions' advantages, SoftBank has three wins while DeNA and Hanshin are tied at one win each.
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Japan's Climax Series final stages began on October 14 with victories for SoftBank and DeNA. Pacific League champion SoftBank recovered to beat third-place Nippon Ham 6-4, bringing its tally to three wins including its advantage. In the Central League, third-place DeNA beat league champion Hanshin 2-0 to level the series at one win each. Game 2 in both leagues is scheduled for October 15. [ 7 , 8 ]
The leagues use different formats for the final stage. The Central League requires four wins in a six-game series, with Hanshin receiving one win as league champion. The Pacific League requires five wins in a seven-game series. SoftBank receives two wins under a new rule because it won the league by at least 10 games. Nippon TV's October 15 summary said SoftBank needs two further wins to advance and DeNA needs three. [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]
Why it matters
SoftBank needs two more wins to advance, while DeNA needs three. The Pacific League series requires five wins, compared with four in the Central League.
Key facts
- SoftBank came back to beat Nippon Ham 6-4 in the Pacific League final-stage opener. [ 7 , 8 ]
- DeNA beat Hanshin 2-0 in the Central League opener. [ 7 , 8 ]
- SoftBank has three wins including its two-win advantage. [ 7 , 8 ]
- DeNA and Hanshin are tied at one win each, with Hanshin holding a one-win advantage as league champion. [ 7 , 8 ]
- The Central League format requires four wins in six scheduled games; the Pacific League format requires five wins in seven scheduled games. [ 7 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Nothing is confirmed by two independent outlets yet.
Still unclear
- SoftBank won 6-4 and DeNA won 2-0 in the October 14 openers. Reported by a single source so far
- The series positions are three wins for SoftBank and one win each for DeNA and Hanshin, including advantages. Reported by a single source so far