SENDAI — For all the new beginnings the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles' win in the first stage of the Climax Series signified, there was an unmistakable sense of finality lingering in the air at Kleenex Stadium.
Eagles manager Katsuya Nomura saluted the crowd then retreated to the quiet of the home dugout immediately after Rakuten's 4-1 win over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Game 2 on Sunday. He sat there for several minutes, watching his team celebrate on the field, undoubtedly aware that most of the 21,388 fans in attendance were chanting his name.
"Sendai fans are the No. 1 fans in Japan," Nomura said. "They have been one of the few bright spots with the Eagles for me."