The Yomiuri Giants have won the 2012 Japan Series to celebrate their record 22nd championship in Nippon Professional Baseball. The Central League pennant winner beat their counterpart from the Pacific League, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, 4-2 in the best-of-seven title series.
Yomiuri took an early 3-0 lead after two innings in the decisive sixth game of the Japan Series. But the Fighters came back and tied the contest. The Giants broke the tie with a RBI single by Shinnosuke Abe in the bottom of the seventh inning en route to a 4-3 victory.
Hokkaido was able to erase a 0-2 deficit after two games in the Japan Series. But an offensive outburst with 15 hits in a 10-2 Giants win in the fifth match gave the advantage back to Yomiuri. Starting pitcher Tetsuya Utsumi of the Giants, who won games one and five, was named MVP. Shinnosuke Abe, Hisayoshi Chono and John Bowker were awarded as outstanding players.
Results Japan Series 2012:
Saturday, October 27:
Yomiuri Giants 8 – Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 1
Sunday, October 28:
Yomiuri Giants 1 – Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 0
Tuesday, October 30:
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 7 – Yomiuri Giants 3
Wednesday, October 31:
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 1 – Yomiuri Giants 0
Thursday, November 1:
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 2 – Yomiuri Giants 10
Saturday, November 3:
Yomiuri Giants 4 – Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 3
