Nippon Series 2011

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The Nippon Series 2011 , officially Konami Nippon Series 2011 ( Japanese コ ナ ミ 日本 シ リ ー ズ 2011 , Konami Nippon shirīzu nisenjūichi ), was the 62nd edition of the final series of the Japanese baseball championship . The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks from the Pacific League under manager Kōji Akiyama met the Chūnichi Dragons from the Central League under manager Hiromitsu Ochiai , who had already announced his retirement at the end of the season. The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks won the best-of-seven series with four to three games and took part from November 25, 2011 in the Asia Series , which was held again after a three-year break, among the champions from four Asia-Pacific nations and lost in the final the Samsung Lions .

As MVP of the series Softbank infielder and became captain Hiroki Kokubo excellent, the oldest MVP in the history of the Japan Series.

Season finals and playoffs

In the regular season of the Pacific League, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks were confirmed as the league winners at the beginning of October, as in the previous year. They were able to finish the kōryū-sen , the Interleague Series against Central League teams , with 18 wins and only four losses and two draws as the best team in both leagues in May and June , then fought for the lead with the Hokkaidō Nippon Ham Fighters of the Pacific League before the Fighters fell behind in late August. The Saitama Seibu Lions only moved past the Orix Buffaloes in their last, 144th game , securing their third playoff spot.

In the Central League, the Tōkyō Yakult Swallows led the league for a long time with a clear lead over the four almost equally strong pursuers, before the Chūnichi Dragons took second place in September , caught up with Yakult at the season finale in October and finally passed.

Final table of the 2011 regular season
Central League Pacific League
# team S. N U GB Win rate # team S. N U GB Win rate
1. Chūnichi Dragons 75 59 10 - .560 1. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 88 46 10 - .6570
2. Tōkyō Yakult Swallows 70 59 15th 2.5 .543 2. Hokkaidō Nippon Ham Fighters 72 65 7th 17.5 .5260
3. Yomiuri Giants 71 62 11 1 .534 3. Saitama Seibu Lions 68 67 9 3 .5037
4th Hanshin Tigers 68 70 6th 5.5 .493 4th Orix Buffaloes 69 68 7th 0 .5036
5. Hiroshima Tōyō Carp 60 76 8th 7th .441 5. Tōhoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 66 71 7th 3 .4820
6th Yokohama BayStars 47 86 11 11.5 .353 6th Chiba Lotte Marines 54 79 11 10 .4060

Climax Series

The playoffs began in 2011 in both leagues simultaneously on October 29th with the first stage of the Climax Series . The final stage of the Climax Series began on November 2nd in the Central League and on November 3rd in the Pacific League. The two first place finishers of the regular season prevailed.

The Saitama Seibu Lions won straight away in two games (5–2 (11) and 8–1) against Nippon Ham, but were then defeated three times by the Hawks (2–4, 2–7, 1–2 (12)), which moved into the final series for the 14th time - for the first time since 2003. In the Central League, Yakult won in the local Jingū Stadium against the Giants (3–2, 2–6, 3–1), but could the Dragons in the Nagoya Dome not defeat (1–2, 3–1, 2–1, 1–5, 1–2), who competed in the Nippon Series for the Central League for the tenth time, as in the previous year.

Climax Series Stage 1 Climax Series Stage 2 Nippon Series
 
3 Yomiuri Giants 1 2 Tōkyō Yakult Swallows 2
2 Tōkyō Yakult Swallows 2 1 Chūnichi Dragons 3 +1
Central League
1 Chūnichi Dragons 3
1 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 4th
 
3 Saitama Seibu Lions 2 3 Saitama Seibu Lions 0
2 Hokkaidō Nippon Ham Fighters 0 1 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 3 +1
Pacific League

Game overview

In the Nippon Series, Chūnichi Dragons and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (then still called Fukuoka Daiei Hawks) last met in 1999 when the Hawks won their first championship title in 35 years in four to one games.

In 2011 the Dragons had the worst team batting average in their league in the regular season (.228), but the best team ERA of 2.46 . The Hawks had dominated the Pacific League on offensive as well as pitching (Team-AVG .267, Team-ERA 2.32).

For the first time since 1994, Game 1 was played as an afternoon game (1 p.m.), a day game in the Nippon Series.

game date guest Score home Score Starter
(CHU - SOF) 		Total stand
(CHU - SOF) 		Stadion spectator
1 November 12, 2011 Chūnichi Dragons 2 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 1 Chen (Win: Asao ) - Wada 1 - 0 Fukuoka Dome 34,457
2 November 13, 2011 Chūnichi Dragons 2 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 1 Yoshimi (Win: Hirai ) - Sugiuchi 2 - 0 Fukuoka Dome 34,758
3 November 15, 2011 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 4th Chūnichi Dragons 2 Nelson - Settsu 2 - 1 Nagoya Dome 38,041
4th November 16, 2011 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 2 Chūnichi Dragons 1 Kawai - Houlton 2 - 2 Nagoya Dome 38,041
5 November 17, 2011 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 5 Chūnichi Dragons 0 Chen - Yamada 2 - 3 Nagoya Dome 38.051
6th November 19, 2011 Chūnichi Dragons 2 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 1 Yoshimi - Wada 3 - 3 Fukuoka Dome 34,927
7th November 20, 2011 Chūnichi Dragons 0 Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 3 Yamai - Sugiuchi 3 - 4 Fukuoka Dome 34,737
SoftBank beats Chūnichi 4–3.

Game 1

The series opened in 2011 at the Fukuoka Dome, where SoftBank recorded 46 wins in 68 games in the regular season - including two against Chūnichi.
Masahiko Morino hit three hits in five at-bats in game 2, including the game-winning RBI single in the tenth inning.

The 2011 series opened for Chūnichi not pitcherass Kazuki Yoshimi , who had been preferred in the Climax Series after an excellent season, but Chen Weiyin . For SoftBank, left-handed Tsuyoshi Wada was on the mound, who only saw three batter in the first four innings. Chen had to allow the first run in the fourth inning when Yūya Hasegawa took an RBI single from him when he was out and running on the first two bases . In the seventh inning, Kazuhiro Wada gave the Dragons their first hit of the game and equalized with a solo homer. Wada and Chen both pitched eight innings, in the ninth neither team could decide the game.

In the tenth inning, outfielder Masaaki Koike scored another home run for Chunichi against reliever Takahiro Mahara . In the lower half of the inning, Closer Hitoki Iwase made the Dragons' opening win perfect.

team 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 R. H E.
Chunichi 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 4th 1
SoftBank 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4th 1

Game 2

The second game in Fukuoka was opened for the Hawks by left-hander Toshiya Sugiuchi , for the Dragons Kazuki Yoshimi threw at the beginning. Both of them kept the game pointless for six innings, although the SoftBank batter in particular recorded several hits. In the seventh inning, a double from third baseman Masahiko Morino opened a chance that Right Fielder Ryosuke Hirata could use with another double for a 1-0 lead. In the lower half of the inning, SoftBank was able to level after hits from Yūya Hasegawa and Hitoshi Tamura with a hit from Munenori Kawasaki .

The starters of both teams were then replaced (Yoshimi in the seventh, Sugiuchi in the eighth inning), and the bullpens were able to force the encounter until the end of the ninth without another run and thus again into overtime. In the tenth inning, SoftBank reliever Takahiro Mahara had to allow a single from Masahiro Araki with two outs , who he then moved to second base with four balls for Hirokazu Ibata . Masahiko Morino then hit the RBI single that brought Chūnichi into the lead. Closer Hitoki Iwase kept the Hawks hit and pointless in the lower half. The Dragons traveled two games to their home games in Nagoya.

team 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 R. H E.
Chunichi 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 7th 0
SoftBank 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 8th 0

Game 3

The Nagoya Dome is considered a pitcher park, which is supposed to accommodate the strength of the Dragons on the mound.
Maximo Nelson allowed nine hits and the decisive runs in Game 3 in 5 2/3 innings.

The Nagoya Dome opened for Chūnichi Maximo Nelson and SoftBank Tadashi Settsu Game 3. While Settsu only allowed four hits in seven innings and a run by a sacrifice hit by Hirokazu Ibata in the sixth inning, the Hawks got off in the first inning with an RBI Nobuhiro Matsuda on the scoreboard. In the fourth inning, SoftBank extended its lead with a hit by Yūya Hasegawa and the subsequent 2-run home run by Hitoshi Tamura. Nelson was replaced in the sixth inning.

In the eighth inning, a solo home run from SoftBank catcher Tōru Hosokawa and a Sac Fly from Chūnichi shortstop Masahiro Araki increased the score to 4–2. In the ninth inning, Brian Falkenborg, who had temporarily taken the closer role for Takahiro Mahara at the beginning of the 2011 regular season, prevented further hits and secured the subsequent victory for the Hawks.

team 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 R. H E.
SoftBank 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 4th 12 1
Chunichi 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 4th 1

Starting Pitchers : SOF - Tadashi Settsu   CHU - Maximo Nelson    WP : Tadashi Settsu   LP : Nelson   SV : Brian Falkenborg  

HRs :   SOF - Hitoshi Tamura , Tōru Hosokawa

Game 4

The 40-year-old Hawks captain Hiroki Kokubo gave his team the lead at the beginning of Game 4, which they did not give up afterwards.

The fourth game in the series opened for Chūnichi by left-hander Yūdai Kawai : In the first inning, hits by Munenori Kawasaki and PL batting champion Seiichi Uchikawa brought the game- winning runs for SoftBank onto the field, which was an RBI single from team captain Hiroki Kokubu and an error from shortstop Masahiro Araki turned the guests into a 2-0 lead. Kawai then only allowed two more hits in the following four innings, but had to hope for support from the offensive to prevent a loss.

For the Hawks, DJ Houlton took over the mound, who had led the league with 19 wins alongside Masahiro Tanaka (Rakuten) in the regular season . In five innings he only allowed three hits, including an RBI from Masahiro Araki for a follow-up run in the fifth inning. The lower half of the sixth inning kicked off the Dragons lineup with hits from Masahiko Morino and Tony Blanco that resulted in runners on bases two and three. After Houlton then completed the bases with a walk for Kazuhiro Wada without an out, he was replaced by Masahiko Morifuku. Morifuku began a strikeout for pinch hitter Masaaki Koike; a flyout and a groundout then ended the Dragons chance to equalize. A total of two innings by Morifuku and two by Closer Falkenborg remained without a walk and without a hit. The Hawks equalized the series and secured a return to Fukuoka in the sixth game of the series.

team 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 R. H E.
SoftBank 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 8th 0
Chunichi 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 5 1

Starting Pitchers : SOF - DJ Houlton   CHU - Yūdai Kawai    WP : Houlton   LP : Kawai   SV : Falkenborg  

Game 5

Hiroki Yamada

For Chūnichi, pitcher Chen Weiyin made his second start in the series in Game 5, while left-handed Hiroki Yamada threw for SoftBank . While Yamada only allowed three hits in six innings with five strikeouts without a walk, his team took the lead in the first inning with an RBI single from Hiroki Kokubo. The lead grew by an RBI from Tōru Hosokawa in the seventh inning to 2–0. In the eighth inning, Reliever Jun'ichi Kawahara took over full bases from Chen without an out, which led to a 5-0 lead for the guests through a walk and a 2RBI single from Hitoshi Tamura. On the other hand, the one-inning SoftBank relievers Tadashi Settsu, Masahiko Morifuku and Takahiro Mahara were able to hold the Dragons without a run.

Chūnichi rightfielder Masaaki Koike was replaced injured in the fourth inning after he (successfully) tried to catch a flyball in the jump and collided with the outfield wall.

team 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 R. H E.
SoftBank 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 5 10 0
Chunichi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0

Starting Pitchers : SOF - Hiroki Yamada   CHU - Chen Weiyin   WP : Yamada   LP : Chen  

Game 6

In game 6, Chūnichi starter Kazuki Yoshimi threw sovereign over 7 2/3 innings (8 strikeouts, no walk), in which SoftBank only managed one run: with a triple from Yūichi Honda and a subsequent RBI single from Seiichi Uchikawa. On the other hand, Tsuyoshi Wada had to allow the game-decisive points in the first inning: With two outs and runners on the first two bases, Kazuhiro Wada managed a 2RBI triple. Even Wada allowed only few chances afterwards; but Yoshimi and the relievers Hitoki Iwase and Takuya Asao were able to hold the Dragons lead until the ninth inning. Fukuoka had to accept the equalizer of the series at home.

team 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 R. H E.
Chunichi 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 0
SoftBank 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0

Starting Pitchers : CHU - Kazuki Yoshimi SOF - Tsuyoshi Wada   WP : Kazuki Yoshimi   LP : Tsuyoshi Wada   SV : Takuya Asao  

Game 7

Toshiya Sugiuchi threw seven shutout innings in the decisive seventh game.

In the playoff of the series started for Chūnichi Daisuke Yamai , who had thrown eight innings of a joint perfect game in the 2007 Nippon Series . Toshiya Sugiuchi started for SoftBank, against whom the Dragons could only score three hits and no run in seven innings. Offensively, the Hawks came to a decision in the third inning: hits from Hitoshi Tamura and Yūya Hasegawa and a walk for Katsuki Yamazaki resulted in full bases without an out. Yamai was replaced by Masato Kobayashi, and another base on balls for Munenori Kawasaki gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead. RBIs of Katsuki Yamazaki and Seiichi Uchikawa in the fourth and seventh innings increased to 3-0. In the eighth inning, Falkenborg took over from Sugiuchi, then Morifuku and Settsu in the ninth; with a total of four hits - two of them by Tony Blanco - the Dragons could hardly create a chance. The experienced Chūnichi catcher Motonobu Tanishige, who was already in the Climax Series 2011 without a hit in 20 at-bats, also remained in all seven games of the final series without a hit, with 0 in 23 on a new negative record for the Nippon Series.

With the first home win in the series, SoftBank won the championship.

team 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 R. H E.
Chunichi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4th 0
SoftBank 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 8th 0

Starting Pitchers : CHU - Daisuke Yamai   SOF - Toshiya Sugiuchi   WP : Toshiya Sugiuchi   LP : Daisuke Yamai   SV : Tadashi Settsu  

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ １７ 年 ぶ り デ ー ゲ ー ム も… 日本 シ リ ー ズ 開始 時間 発 表 . In: Suponichi . November 2, 2011, Retrieved November 7, 2011 (Japanese).
  2. ↑ Jason Coskrey: Dragons' Koike smacks game-winning blast in 10th. In: The Japan Times . November 13, 2011, accessed November 14, 2011 .
  3. ↑ Jason Coskrey: Dragons take Game 2, halfway to the series title. In: The Japan Times . November 14, 2011, accessed November 15, 2011 .
  4. ↑ Jason Coskrey: Hawks show mettle with Game 3 win. In: The Japan Times . November 16, 2011, accessed November 16, 2011 .
  5. ↑ Jason Coskrey: Hawks beat Dragons, extend series to at least six games. In: The Japan Times . November 17, 2011, accessed November 18, 2011 .
  6. ↑ Jason Coskrey: Pitching carries Hawks to third straight win. In: The Japan Times . November 18, 2011, accessed November 18, 2011 .
  7. ↑ 中 日 ・ 小池 が 好 捕 も 負傷 交代 . (No longer available online.) In: MSN / Sankei News. November 18, 2011, archived from the original on November 19, 2011 ; Retrieved November 18, 2011 (Japanese). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / sankei.jp.msn.com
  8. ↑ Jason Coskrey: Dragons Edge Hawks; series tied 3-3. Chunichi win sets stage for decisive seventh game to crown Japan Series champion. In: The Japan Times . November 20, 2011, accessed November 21, 2011 .
  9. ↑ 谷繁23打席無安打シリーズ記録/日本S . In: Nikkan Sports. November 21, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2011 (Japanese).
  10. ↑ Jason Coskrey: Hawks capture 2011 title. In: The Japan Times . November 21, 2011, accessed November 21, 2011 .