The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Yokohama BayStars had two very different paths to Game 1 of the Japan Series.
The Hawks rampaged to 94-49 record, won this season's interleague title (with a 12-6 mark), and claimed the Pacific League pennant, their third in four seasons, by 13½ games.
Yokohama, meanwhile, was the third place team in the Central League, finishing 73-65-5, just two games better than the fourth-place Yomiuri Giants and 14½ games behind the pennant-winning Hiroshima Carp.