Toshiya Sato of the Lotte Marines hits a pinch-hit, walk-off double in the ninth inning in Game 1 of the first stage of the Pacific League Climax Series at Zozo Marine Stadium in Chiba, on Nov. 6, 2021. (Kyodo)

       CHIBA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Adeiny Hechavarria's eighth-inning home run tied it, and Toshiya Sato's ninth-inning pinch-hit RBI double lifted the Lotte Marines to a 5-4 win over the Rakuten Eagles in Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series first stage on Saturday.

       The win at Zozo Marine Stadium means the Marines can advance to the final stage against the league-champion Orix Buffaloes with one more win or a tie in the best-of-three series at their home park.

       Rookie Roki Sasaki started for Lotte and allowed an unearned run over six innings while striking out 10. He left with a 3-1 lead before the Eagles came back against the Marines bullpen.

       With one out in the ninth inning and speedster Hiromi Oka representing the potential winning run on second, Sato slashed a pitch from Taiwan right-hander Sung Chia-hao through the infield.

       "I was just looking for a pitch I could hit," Sato said.

       Rakuten starter Takahiro Norimoto pitched out of a two-on one-out jam in the first but loaded the bases with one out in the third, when Brandon Laird hit a booming two-run bases-loaded single and Shogo Nakamura scrambled home to score on a sacrifice fly.

       That lead held up until Sasaki left the mound and Yuki Kuniyoshi walked three and made an error before PL RBI leader Hiroaki Shimauchi cleared the bases with a two-out double.

       Former Marine Tomohito Sakai worked a 1-2-3 seventh for the Eagles to set the stage for lefty Yuki Matsui. The Rakuten closer, pitching for the first time since August, got two quick outs before Hechavarria stayed on a good high fastball.

       "I wasn't thinking about anything in particular, just focusing on getting a good swing. I was able to hit it pretty hard and am glad I could contribute," Hechavarria said.

       Marines closer Naoya Masuda worked a 1-2-3 ninth and earned the win after Lotte rallied in the ninth.

       At Koshien Stadium, ace right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano worked seven sharp innings to earn the win as the Central League's third-place Yomiuri Giants opened the CL's first stage with a 4-0 victory over the second-place Hanshin Tigers.

       Zelous Wheeler was involved in all four Giants runs with a fifth-inning sacrifice, a two-run sixth-inning double and an eighth-inning RBI single.

       The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs against Giants closer Thyago Vieira in the ninth but lined into the final out to end it.

       The Giants now need one win or two ties to advance to the CL's final stage against the league champion Yakult Swallows.

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0