Tsubasa Aizawa's 11th-inning RBI single lifted the Hiroshima Carp to a 4-3 win over the second-place Hanshin Tigers on Wednesday, leaving the Carp with a magic number of 10 to clinch their second straight pennant.
Aizawa, who entered the game as a defensive substitute, came up with pinch runner Takashi Uemoto on second and one out. With the outfield playing shallow to cut off the go-ahead run on a single, Aizawa belted a 3-2 pitch from reliever Tsuyoshi Ishizaki over the head of Yoshio Itoi in right for Hiroshima's second straight walk-off win.
"Thanks for staying with us so late," Aizawa told the fans after the game. "Takashi was eager to show his speed on second, and I knew he'd make it home, although to be honest, Kosuke (Tanaka) was on deck and I was thinking more of just making contact to give him a chance to end it."