Barring some major hiccups going into the home stretch, the NPB playoff picture appears to be more or less set, with one big exception.
The Pacific League pennant is still out there for the taking as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters race to the finish line.
The teams began the week separated by a half-game in the standings. Each played Monday afternoon, with the Hawks playing to a tie against the Orix Buffaloes, and the Fighters beating the Chiba Lotte Marines.
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