Pacific League Playoffs’ 1st Stage, Dragons Close to 1
Posted by Paulie Danger on October 9, 2006
The Softbank Hawks defeated the Seibu Lions to win Stage 1 of the Pacific League Playoffs. Lifted by a Julio Zuelta three-run shot in the 8th, the Hawks pushed past the Lions 6-1. Hawks’ rookie reliever Akihiro Yanase (2-0) picked up the win shooting two hitless. Minoru Yamagishi gave up Zuelta’s homer, but Tomoki Hoshino (0-1) took the loss, starting the eigth inning walking two. Takeya Nakamura dropped a souvenier off Hawks’ starter Hayato Terahara in the losing effort.
The Hawks go on to face regular season champion Nippon Ham Fighters in Stage 2.
Tyrone Woods’ grandslam helped Chunichi to a 10-1 win over the Swallows. Woods’ knock was his league leading 45th of the campaign. Hirokazu Ibata could only contribute a two-run homer to help Kenichi Nakata (7-4) earn the win. The Dragons are now one win away from clinching the Central League pennant.
Nakata’s magic number was four, scattering four hits, walking four and striking out four. His Yakult counterpart, Masanori Ishikawa (10-9) got touched up for seven runs on seven hits in three and a third worked.
The Dragons have Monday off, but can clinch on Tuesday as they start a set at The Tokyo Dome against the Giants.
Here’s a clip of Tyrone Woods in action last season against the Swallows.
