SAPPORO — Katsuya Nomura's griping yet deeply attached days with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and the team's emotional run has come to an end.
After the Eagles were eliminated from postseason play by losing to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 9-4 in the fourth game of the Pacific League Climax Series second stage in Sapporo on Saturday, Nomura walked toward the outfield to greet his team's fans in the right-field stands for the final time.
A moment later, Nomura was surrounded by his Eagles players and coaches, and even Fighters members, and was tossed into the air for a doage. Throughout the stadium, the fans spontaneously started clapping their hands warmly to reward his achievements in baseball.