The SoftBank Hawks clinched back-to-back Japan Series titles Wednesday as they completed a 4-0 sweep of the DeNA BayStars, with catcher Yudai Yamamoto driving in three runs against his former club in a 4-2 victory.
The Pacific League champion Hawks were aiming for the sweep in Game 4 at Fukuoka's Mizuho PayPay Dome after beating the Central League's BayStars in extra innings in each of their three previous meetings in the best-of-seven series.
Keita Sano broke the ice for the BayStars in the first inning with a two-run home run to right field off left-hander Yugo Maeda.
SoftBank took the lead in the fourth, scoring two runs on Yamamoto's two-out triple down the right-field line off DeNA starter Kentaro Taira (0-1) before Yuki Yanagita singled in one more.
The home side added an insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Yamamoto, who was traded to the Hawks from the BayStars midseason.
Lefty Darwinzon Hernandez (2-0) earned the win after tossing a scoreless sixth inning for the Hawks.
Having clinched last year's title on the road against the Hanshin Tigers, the Hawks celebrated by tossing third-year manager Hiroki Kokubo into the air as a Japan Series winner in front of the home crowd for the first time.
"I've long envisioned being hoisted into the air while looking up at the ceiling here, and in my third year, I've finally achieved it," Kokubo said. "I'm now feeling motivated to set new goals and keep pushing forward into next year."
Hawks outfielder Tomoya Masaki was named Japan Series MVP after batting 7-for-16 with two home runs, including a walk-off shot in the 10th inning of Game 3.
SoftBank remained undefeated throughout this year's postseason, stringing together seven consecutive wins starting from the Climax Series.
The Fukuoka-based club has now won eight straight Japan Series games, dating back to Game 2 of last year's series. The victory came two years after the Yokohama-based BayStars defeated SoftBank in the 2024 Japan Series.
With its 13th Japan Series title, the Hawks franchise tied the record for the most by a Pacific League team, encompassing its Nankai Hawks and Daiei Hawks eras.
It shares the record with the Seibu Lions, including their time as the Nishitetsu Lions. The record among all 12 of Japan's professional clubs is held by the Yomiuri Giants with 22.
