Yakult grabs back-to-back Central League championships

The Tokyo Yakult Swallows clinched back-toback Central League titles with a 1-0 victory over the second-place Yokohama DeNA Baystars at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday night. Last year’s Japan Series champions, the Swallows will nish the regular season atop the league for the ninth time in franchise history. The team also won consecutive CL titles in 1992 and 1993.

Yakult cleanup hitter Munetaka Murakami has been the driving force for the team’s success. e third baseman has so far hit 55 home runs to match the mark for a Japan-born player set in 1964 by the legendary Sadaharu Oh of the Yomiuri Giants. Former Swallows slugger Wladimir Balentien has the all-time mark of 60 home runs in a single season, set in 2013.

While Yakult struggled with the absence of some key players due to coronavirus infections, the team has remained in rst place since May.

“I felt the them get better game a er game, year a er year,” said Swallows skipper Shingo Takatsu, who has been the manager since the 2020 season.

e Baystars secured second place on Sunday night and earned a place in the

Climax Series.

On Sunday night, Yakult pitcher Yasuhiro Ogawa had a strong start, going six innings, and three relievers kept the Baystars scoreless.

In the bottom of the ninth, Swallows rookie outfielder Kazuya Maruyama drove in pinch-runner Yasutaka Shiomi from second for the winning run with a double to center off Yokohama reliver Edwin Escobar. (Sept. 27)