The Hanshin Tigers beat the Chunichi Dragons 3-0 on Monday in their final regular-season game to edge the Hiroshima Carp out of third place in the Central League and clinch a spot in the Climax Series.
The Tigers recorded their fourth shutout in five games and rode a six-game winning streak down to the wire to surpass the Carp by half a game and reach the postseason for the first time in two years.
Hanshin starter Koyo Aoyagi (9-9) allowed two hits and struck out five in as many innings, while the Tigers' lineup worked the Dragons' bullpen once Yudai Ono left the mound in the fourth.