Ryuki Watarai’s Ninth-Inning Homer Lifts BayStars Past Giants
Ryuki Watarai hit a ninth-inning home run as the Yokohama DeNA BayStars beat the Yomiuri Giants 2-1 in the Central League Climax Series.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 1 min read 
Ryuki Watarai hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning on Saturday as the Yokohama DeNA BayStars beat the Yomiuri Giants 2-1 in Game 1 of the Central League Climax Series First Stage at Tokyo Dome.
With the score tied and nobody on base, Watarai drove a pitch from Giants closer Raidel Martínez into the right-center-field seats. The solo shot was only DeNA’s fourth hit of the game, but it moved the BayStars one win from the Final Stage.
Watarai breaks a long deadlock
DeNA opened the scoring immediately. Shugo Maki homered off Giants starter Haruto Inoue in the first inning, giving the BayStars a 1-0 lead before Yomiuri came to bat.
The Giants answered in the bottom half. Naoki Yoshikawa led off with a double, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Tomoya Izuguchi’s RBI single. That was the last run either team produced until Watarai stepped in eight innings later.
Inoue was dominant after Maki’s homer. The left-hander completed eight innings on 102 pitches, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out 10. He handed the tie to Martínez, who struck out Maki before Watarai supplied the decisive swing.
Azuma and DeNA bullpen hold the lead
Katsuki Azuma kept the BayStars level with seven innings of one-run baseball. He allowed five hits, issued no walks and struck out two across 102 pitches.
Masumi Hamachi retired the Giants in order on nine pitches in the eighth and earned the win. After Watarai put DeNA ahead, Sean Reynolds handled the ninth for the save. Yomiuri brought the tying run to second base with one out, but Reynolds retired Bobby Dalbec and Takumi Oshiro to finish the game.
DeNA now carries a 1-0 series lead into Sunday’s Game 2. A second victory would send the BayStars into the Central League Final Stage against the Hanshin Tigers.
