THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
November 4,fiba score 2024 at 17:38 JST
Yokohama DeNA BayStars manager Daisuke Miura is tossed in the air in celebration of the team's Japan Series title on Nov. 3. (Soichiro Yamamoto)
YOKOHAMA—The Yokohama DeNA BayStars completed a remarkable playoff run by trouncing the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks 11-2 on Nov. 3 to win their first Japan Series championship in 26 years.
The title, the third in Yokohama’s history, snapped the longest championship drought among the 12 teams in Nippon Professional Baseball.
BayStars manager Daisuke Miura, 50, was a key player on the team when it last won the Japan Series in 1998.
Amid the celebration on Nov. 3, Miura said: “After winning the championship in 1998, (the team) had a hard time winning, and I, too, wanted to win again, but I was unable to do so as an active player. So, I’m happy to win the championship as a manager.”
The BayStars finished the regular season in third place in the Central League, a standing that put them at a significant disadvantage in the playoffs.
Forced to play all games on the road, the BayStars swept the Hanshin Tigers and then upended the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants.
In the Japan Series against Pacific League champion Softbank, DeNA could finally play in front of a home crowd but dropped the first two games to the Hawks at Yokohama Stadium.
Down in the hole, Yokohama team captain Shugo Maki gathered the players for a pep talk.
“It was my first Japan Series, and I didn’t know what the atmosphere would be like, and the team went on to lose two games in a row,” Maki, the second baseman, said of his intentions.
Three veterans spoke to the players, including outfielder Masayuki Kuwahara.
“I may have sounded a little harsh, but I told them, ‘To be frank, I don’t feel any atmosphere of us winning against Softbank right now.’”
Kuwahara reminded his teammates of Yokohama’s come-from-behind victory in Game 6 against the Giants that sent the BayStars to the Japan Series.
“Are we fighting with the feeling that if we lose, it’s over? Like in that game?” Kuwahara asked them.
He said he felt angry that the team did not appear frustrated at losing the first two games to the favored Hawks.
The talks worked.
Yokohama’s success on the road continued, and it swept all three games held in Fukuoka.
The BayStars first home victory in the playoffs came on Nov. 3 in Game 6 of the best-of-seven series.
Kuwahara inspired the players not only with his words but also with great hitting and defense. He was named series MVP.
The only other third-place team to win the Japan Series was the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2010.
Yokohama is the first Central League team to do so.
The BayStars finished the regular season with a 71-69-3 record and a .570 winning percentage, the lowest percentage of any team to win the Japan Series.
相关文章:
相关推荐:
「3年目もよろしくどーぞ~」みちょぱ&大倉士門 結婚記念日にラブラブ鹿児島日帰り旅行高橋尚子さんも3本柱に太鼓判!目指すのは最高の大阪学院大…全日本大学女子駅伝対校選手権27日号砲TBS「ラヴィット」に陸上短距離王が降臨!ネット沸騰「なんできた」「無駄遣いwww」「そらそーよ」小柳ゆき42歳 現在の姿が別人みたい!黒髪美女で「めちゃ可愛い」メガネ姿も意外ドジャースWSの“開幕投手”は今季7月加入の右腕 「去年は家のテレビで見てたのに…」 感謝の好投誓う【動画】大阪杯覇者ベラジオオペラは「春と比べると活気が足りない」と上村調教師は辛口ジャッジ?…天皇賞・秋共同会見MAZZEL、思わぬサプライズに「うれしすぎて手が震える」UMS原宿の開店1周年アンバサダー就任小柳ゆき42歳 現在の姿が別人みたい!黒髪美女で「めちゃ可愛い」メガネ姿も意外ドラマ「【推しの子】」主題歌は毎話変わる マイファスやヤバT、梅田サイファーら8組(動画あり / コメントあり)【天皇賞・秋】キングズパレスはシュタルケ騎手と初コンタクト 鞍上は約5年半ぶりの美浦で笑顔