Hiroshima Carp closer Ryoji Kuribayashi pitches against the Central League winners Yakult Swallows in the final game of the regular season on Nov. 1, 2021, at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Central League winners the Yakult Swallows lost their final game of the regular season Monday as the Hiroshima Carp came from behind to win 9-7 for their third straight victory to wrap up the season.

       The second-place Hanshin Tigers will host the Yomiuri Giants in a best-of-three Climax Series first stage starting Saturday. The winner will face Yakult for a spot in the Japan Series, where a Pacific League playoff winner will await.

       "We still have the Climax Series and the Japan Series to come, but we hope to stick together and get through them with you fans," skipper Shingo Takatsu told the Jingu Stadium spectators after being presented with the CL trophy.

       The game saw Hiroshima closer Ryoji Kuribayashi tie the Nippon Professional Baseball record of 37 saves in his rookie year, on par with Yasuaki Yamasaki's record in 2015 with the DeNA BayStars, after allowing a run pitching the ninth inning.

       Tomoki Ishihara's three-run shot in the first inning helped Hiroshima take a five-run lead by the second inning off Swallows starter Keiji Takahashi.

       Yakult scored two runs in the third and four more in the fourth -- helped by a bases-loaded walk by Hiroshima starter Tatsuto Kobayashi and a fielding error -- to lead 6-5 but was quick to throw the advantage away.

       Ryoma Nishikawa restored the lead for Hiroshima in the fifth, going deep off Daiki Yoshida (1-1) for three runs before Shogo Sakakura plated his second run of the day with a double in the sixth.

       Astuya Horie (5-4) earned the win despite facing just a single batter in the fourth and throwing two pitches.

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