Kazuhiro Wada hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning and the Chunichi Dragons continued to widen their lead Monday en route to beating the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 7-4 in a decisive Game 3 of the Climax Series first stage.
Second-place Chunichi rallied from a one-game deficit to win the final two games of the best-of-three series. The Dragons will face the Yomiuri Giants, who take a one-win advantage into the second stage for finishing the regular season in first, starting on Wednesday at Tokyo Dome.
Chunichi starter Kenichi Nakata (1-0) limited the damage to one run in five innings, striking out four. He walked two batters.