The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks defeated the Hanshin Tigers 3-2 in Game 5 of the Japan Series, clinching the title 4-1. Yuki Yanagita's tying two-run homer and Isami Nomura's walk-off solo shot highlighted the game, securing the Hawks' first championship in five years and 12th in franchise history. Hotaka Yamakawa was named series MVP.
Game 5 of the Japan Series took place on October 31 at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, where the Hawks secured a 3-2 win in the 11th inning on Isami Nomura's solo home run. This gave the Hawks a 4-1 series victory with four straight wins, exorcising the demons of their loss to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in last year's final and claiming their first title in five years and 12th in franchise history.
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead with RBI singles by Seishiro Sakamoto in the second and Teruaki Sato in the fifth; Sato went 2-for-4 and hit safely in all five games. But in the eighth, the Hawks rallied: Hiroki Minei singled to start the inning, and Yuki Yanagita tied it with a two-run homer off Daichi Ishii, who had not allowed a run in 56 outings including the postseason. Yanagita said, "I just wanted to do something. I didn't do much during the season, but to play in the championship after a while, I'm glad I could help the team."
In the top of the 11th, Nomura led off with a homer over the right-field fence against Shoki Murakami. The bullpen limited the Tigers to one hit from the sixth inning onward; Kazuki Sugiyama earned the win, and Yuki Matsumoto the save. Manager Hiroki Kokubo noted, "Facing the Central League champion Hanshin Tigers, we wanted to find some way to have a good game. In a game in which we never had time to catch our breath, I think we played well."
The Hawks overcame an injury-plagued season by relying on younger players, with star outfielder Akira Nakamura sidelined for the series. Hotaka Yamakawa, who homered in three straight games and batted .385, was named MVP. This marks their first crown since four straight from 2017 to 2020.