A Japan Series that has seen momentum swing back and forth has come down to a Game 7.
Thanks to a performance from Orix Buffaloes ace pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto that was equal parts gritty and magnificent.
Yamamoto bounced back from the worst start of his career with a 14-strikeout complete game, and Kotaro Kurebayashi hit a two-run home run to help the Buffaloes avoid elimination with a 5-1 win over the Hanshin Tigers in Game 6 at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Saturday night.