NPB: Fukuoka Hawks win 4th straight Japan Series title, sweep Tokyo Giants

NPB: Fukuoka Hawks win 4th straight Japan Series title, sweep Tokyo Giants
25/11/2020
The Hawks outscored the Giants 26-4 to extend their winning streak in the Japan Series to 12 games.

The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks swept the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants for the second consecutive year in the final series and earned a fourth consecutive Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) title.

Japan Series - Results

Hawks-Giants 5-1
Hawks-Giants 13-2
Hawks-Giants 4-0
Hawks-Giants 4-1

The Giants took the lead for the first time in the series in their first at-bat of Game 4. Star shortstop and WBSC Premier12 veteran Hayato Sakamoto, who has just celebrated 2,000 career hits, hit a RBI double off Takeshi Wada.

Outfielder Yuki Yanagita got to starter Hatase Shu in the bottom half of the frame with a two-run homer that gave the Hawks the lead. They wouldn't look back.

Catcher Takuya Kai, who helped Samurai Japan win the WBSC Premier12 2019, added a two-run homer in the second to extend the Hawks' lead to 4-1.

The Giants had the tying run at the plate in the ninth. Yuito Mori, the closer for the Hawks, struck out Shunta Tanaka and retired pinch hitter Yoshiyuki Kamei to end the game.

The win extends the Hawks winning streak to 12 in the Japan Series and 16 in the post season overall. Fukuoka won the Pacific League regular season and eliminated the Chiba Lotte Marines in the Climax Series.

The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks have been dominant in the decade. They have won seven Japan Series since 2011.

NPB Commissioner Atsushi Saito congratulated the club after the game.

A total of 19,679 fans witnessed Game 4 of the Japan Series at the PayPay Dome in Fukuoka. The only cheering they were entitled to was clapping their hands to the rhythm of drums. NPB has been asking fans to find new ways to cheer all season and refrain from singing and shouting. The Hawks tried to liven up the atmosphere at PayPay Dome playing recorded versions of the usual songs.

Japan Series - Individual Awards

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