The opening game of the Japan Series was playing out like the pitcher’s duel everyone expected with a pair of aces on the mound recording out after out.
Then Teruaki Sato used his legs to kickstart the Tigers' batters into gear.
Sato’s performance on the bases helped unlock the offense in the fifth inning, and the Central League champions kept piling on against Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a 8-0 win in Game 1 on Saturday night at Kyocera Dome Osaka.
The Tigers lead the best-of-seven series 1-0. Game 2 is Sunday night at Kyocera Dome. Orix lefty Hiroya Miyagi will get the start against former Buffaloes left-hander Yuki Nishi.
The series opened at the Buffaloes’ home stadium, but the Tigers might have felt as if they were at home at Koshien Stadium given the number — and volume — of Tigers fans in the stands.
Hanshin starter Shoki Murakami gave them plenty to cheer for with four perfect innings before the offense took over in the top of the fifth.
"Watching the video, he doesn't waste any pitches," Orix's Tomoya Mori said. "I got the impression that he's very precise with his breaking balls."
Sato singled, stole second and advanced on a flyout to help pry open the floodgates. Ryo Watanabe hit an RBI single to get the Tigers on the board, Koji Chikamoto added a two-run triple and Takumu Nakano drove in a run.
"We scored first and there was a good atmosphere and I just rode that momentum," Chikamoto said.
Seiya Kinami hit an RBI single in the sixth before Seishiro Sakamoto connected on a run-scoring double to chase Yamamoto. Nakano drove in another run as the Tigers fans, who dominated half of the stadium, celebrated in the stands.
"We wanted to score another run in that spot," Kinami said of his hit.
Murakami allowed two hits and a walk over seven scoreless frames to earn the win.
Yamamoto is widely expected to depart for MLB this offseason and may have experienced a nightmarish ending to a dreamlike run with the Buffaloes.
The right-hander pitched 5⅔ innings and allowed seven earned runs for the first time in his career. Yamamoto gave up 10 hits and struck out seven.
"Our goal is to become the top team in Japan," he said. "I want to prepare and make sure I can help the team."
It was the latest in a string of subpar postseason performances by the Buffaloes ace, who was 16-6 with a 1.21 ERA during the regular season. and is favored to win his third straight Sawamura Award.
Yamamoto allowed five runs — something he had not done since 2022 — in his first start this postseason against the Chiba Lotte Marines in Game 1 in the final stage of the Pacific League Climax Series.
He also gave up four in four-plus innings in his only start in the 2022 Japan Series.
Seiya Kinami continued his scorching run through the postseason, following up a five-hit performance against the Hiroshima Carp in three games during the Climax Series with a two-hit night against Orix. Kinami has two hits in his last three playoff games.
The Buffaloes were limited to a pair of hits, a double by Mori in the fifth and Tomoya Nogugi's single in the sixth.
"I told myself before the series started that I would enjoy myself," Mori said after his first Japan Series game. "The result was disappointing, but we just have to prepare for tomorrow."