The DeNA BayStars snapped up the Central League's final postseason berth Friday with a 5-3 come-from-behind win over the newly crowned champion Hanshin Tigers.
Toshiro Miyazaki had two hits and two RBIs, his fourth-inning double putting the hosts in front for good at Yokohama Stadium.
The Tigers led 3-1 in the fourth after a home run by Yusuke Oyama and Teruaki Sato's two doubles and two runs. After falling behind, Hanshin loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth but were turned back by three DeNA pitchers.
Starter Kenta Ishida made his way off the mound after striking out talented rookie Shota Morishita. Daita Miyagi then got Oyama looking at a third strike before Tatsuya Ishikawa completed the great escape by fanning Sato.
The BayStars' win moved them to within one game of second-place Hiroshima Carp, who fell 4-1 to the Chunichi Dragons. The Carp and BayStars are now set to meet in the first stage of the CL postseason at the home park of the second-place team.
In Friday's lone Pacific League game, Kensuke Kondo homered and Kohei Arihara (10-4) pitched eight innings in the second-place SoftBank Hawks' 1-0 win over the Seibu Lions to pull a full game ahead of the third-place Rakuten Eagles.
