Yoshihiro Maru stood at the plate with two outs, a runner on third and Yuki Nishi staring in from the mound. The game was tied in the sixth inning and the Yomiuri Giants and their fans were hoping for a hit. Some, perhaps, may even have dared to dream of a home run.
So when Maru dropped down a bunt, it took everyone by surprise. When the runner scored, the shock morphed into jubilation and the Giants rode that wave all the way to the Japan Series.
Maru¡¯s gambit broke the tie in the sixth, Alex Guerrero provided some breathing room with a two-run homer in the seventh and the Kyojin closed out the Central League Climax Series Final Stage with a 4-1 win over the Hanshin Tigers in Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at Tokyo Dome to book a spot in the Japan Series.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.