As reporters left the field at the conclusion of the Hanshin Tigers' batting practice, Tom O'Malley, one of the team's hitting coaches, gave a wave and said, "We'll see you tomorrow."

It didn't take long for the Tigers to start proving him right.

Randy Messenger was solid for seven innings, Mauro Gomez and Matt Murton hit first-inning home runs (Gomez's a two-run shot), and Hanshin staved off elimination with a 4-2 victory in Game 2 of the Central League Climax Series first stage in front of a crowd of 46,698 on Sunday afternoon at Tokyo Dome.