Hanshin Wins Dramatic Extra-Inning Game, Stays Top of League
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The Hanshin Tigers secured a dramatic win over the DeNA BayStars in a game that went into extra innings. After the score was tied through nine innings, the teams played on into the 11th inning, where Ohyama Yusuke delivered the decisive hit. His walk-off hit immediately ended the game in Hanshin's favor. It was the fifth walk-off hit of Ohyama's career, tying him for second place in his team's all-time history for such hits.
The victory reduced Hanshin's magic number to 10. In Japanese baseball, a magic number shows how many more wins, combined with the results of rival teams, are needed to clinch the pennant, the championship of the regular season. With this win, Hanshin avoided a situation in which their magic number could have disappeared, meaning their lead could have been threatened. The Tigers now hold a 0.5-game lead over the Yomiuri Giants, who sit in second place in the Central League standings.
For DeNA, the loss was a setback in their push toward the Climax Series, a set of playoff-style games held after the regular season to decide the league champion. DeNA has failed to qualify for this series for five consecutive years, and this defeat marked their second straight loss. As a result, their win rate, the percentage of games won compared to games played, has fallen back to exactly 50 percent.
The result highlights how tight the race remains at the top of the Central League, with Hanshin working hard to protect their narrow lead as the season nears its end.
Vocabulary7 words
- extra innings
- extra playing time added when a game is tied
- walk-off
- a hit that ends the game immediately with a win
- magic number
- the number of wins needed to guarantee first place
- pennant
- the championship title for winning the league
- Climax Series
- playoff games held after the regular season
- win rate
- the percentage of games a team has won
- clinch
- to make something certain, such as winning a title
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Ohyama hit a walk-off winner 2. 10 3. 5 years
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Hanshin Tigers secured a dramatic win over the DeNA BayStars in a game that went into _____. After the score was tied through nine innings, the teams played on into the 11th inning, where Ohyama Yusuke delivered the decisive hit. His _____ hit immediately ended the game in Hanshin's favor. It was the fifth walk-off hit of Ohyama's career, tying him for second place in his team's all-time history for such hits.
The victory reduced Hanshin's _____ to 10. In Japanese baseball, a magic number shows how many more wins, combined with the results of rival teams, are needed to clinch the _____, the championship of the regular season. With this win, Hanshin avoided a situation in which their magic number could have disappeared, meaning their lead could have been threatened. The Tigers now hold a _____-game lead over the Yomiuri Giants, who sit in second place in the Central League standings.
For DeNA, the loss was a setback in their push toward the _____, a set of playoff-style games held after the regular season to decide the league champion. DeNA has failed to qualify for this series for _____ consecutive years, and this defeat marked their second straight loss. As a result, their _____, the percentage of games won compared to games played, has fallen back to exactly 50 percent.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think a walk-off hit is exciting for fans?
- How does a 'magic number' help fans understand a pennant race?
- What effect might repeated losses have on a team's confidence?
- Why is qualifying for a playoff series like the Climax Series important for a team?
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