Chunichi Clinches Central
Posted by Paulie Danger on October 10, 2006
Tyrone Woods’ 12th inning grand slam clinches the Central League pennant for the Chunichi Dragons. Kosuke Fukudome drove in the tie-breaking run in the top of the 12th to give the Dragons a 4-3 lead over the Giants. Woods’ grand slam, his 46th homer of the season, gave Chunichi the 9-3 win. The Dragons, who haven’t won a Japan Series since 1954, will meet the winner of the Nippon Ham v. Softbank series for the championship.
In a late season throw-away game, the Swallows and Carp combine for 37 hits in a wild 13-8 decision for Yakult. Hiroshima starter Shinjiro Kojima (0-2) caught a nasty case of whiplash giving up 7 runs in four innings and change as the Swallows hung a 10 spot on 11 hits in the fifth. Yakult lefty Kazuhisa Ishii (11-7) put on his kevlar helmet and managed to scrape out the win.
