Takashi Ogino singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, lifting the pennant-chasing Chiba Lotte Marines to a 4-3 walk-off win over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters on Saturday afternoon.
The win at Zozo Marine Stadium reduced the second-place Marines' magic number to clinch their first Pacific League pennant in 16 years to four. They trail the Orix Buffaloes by a half-game but have five games remaining compared to Orix's one.
With no outs and the bases loaded against Fighters closer Toshihiro Sugiura (2-3), Ogino smashed a ball through the infield to end it and was drenched with water in celebration by his teammates.