TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. -- Standing at the entrance door behind home plate, Seibu's Kazuo Matsui was almost tempted to walk out onto the artificial turf after the game.
In his vision was Thursday night's hero, third-year outfielder Masahide Kaizuka, trotting over to the right-field stands to answer the fans' ground-shaking screams.
Seibu beat Nippon Ham 5-2 and could've clinched the Pacific League title Wednesday night in front of 50,000 at the Seibu Dome -- had it not been for second-place Daiei's win.