Kenichi Nakata threw five innings of two-run ball, Nobuhiro Matsuda delivered a two-run single in a 4-for-4 outing, and the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks beat the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters 5-2 to win Game 4 of the Pacific League Climax Series Final Stage on Saturday afternoon.
The Hawks, who received an automatic one-win advantage in the series as the PL champions, lead the series 3-2 and moved one win away from clinching a berth in the Japan Series for the first time since winning it all in 2011.
Softbank got off on the right foot with Yuki Yanagita's home run in the bottom of the first.