Two nights after bashing their way past the Yakult Swallows to even up the Japan Series at a game apiece, the Kintetsu Buffaloes practically sleepwalked through a 9-2 loss on Tuesday night in Game 3 at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium. Roberto Petagine drove in three runs with a pair of hits, Mitsuru Manaka cracked a two-run homer and Atsuya Furuta had two hits and two RBIs as the Swallows took a 2-1 lead in the series.
It was a perfect night for baseball, with a calm sky and only a slight breeze blowing, after Monday's torrential downpour. A crowd of 30,443 was on hand to see the Swallows host their first Japan Series game since 1997.
Yakult starter Satoshi Iriki treated the Yakult faithful to four innings of no-hit pitching and departed after the fifth inning, having allowed just two hits to notch the victory.