Check the locks on all the Colonel Sanders statues in Osaka, because the Hanshin Tigers are headed back to the Japan Series and it was a big home run from a bearded foreign star that helped get them there.

Matt Murton took the wind out of the Yomiuri Giants' sails early with a three-run home run in the first inning and the Tigers never looked back on their way to a series-clinching 8-4 win in Game 4 of the Central League Climax Series Final Stage on Saturday night at Tokyo Dome.

"We never gave up and had confidence we could win the Climax Series Final Stage," Tigers manager Yutaka Wada said.