CS final round: 1-goal difference and elimination, Hanshin director Fujikawa Tachibana takes the blame: I'm sorry to the fans

Hanshin Supervisor Fujikawa Tieji. (File photo, Reuters)

[Reporter Lin Youchen/Comprehensive Report] The Hanshin Tigers, which won the Central League and had a one-win advantage in the final round, were reversed by Yokohama in a last-ditch battle today and lost 5:8, ending the season with a four-game losing streak.

Thanks to Shota Morishita's double in a single game, the Hanshin Tigers finally broke through the slump of failing to score in three consecutive games and still led 5:4 in the ninth inning. Yasunari Kudo, who had boarded the plate midway in the previous inning, faced a crisis with two outs and someone at second and third base. DeNA's Daiki Mimori hit a two-run RBI hit in the direction of center field. Kudo had already scored two good goals at that time, and cheers for "one more goal" were heard in the stadium stands. However, Hanshin was reversed just one step away from victory.

After the game, Hanshin director Fujikawa Tieji only said: "I'm really sorry for all the fans who supported us. This is the only thing I want to say." He also emphasized repeatedly: "The players have worked very hard."

When reviewing the pitching arrangements in the latter part of the game, Director Fujikawa said: "During the regular season, Jingu, Kinoshita, and Kudo sometimes boarded for several innings. In fact, the team faced difficulties in pitching arrangements until the end, and we should have tried to readjust the appropriate arrangement."

At the end of the interview, Director Fujikawa once again placed the responsibility on himself: "The players have really worked hard, and everyone has worked hard this year. It is really my responsibility, I'm sorry."