SENDAI — It took two pitches for Yosuke Takasu to get the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles' message across.
These Eagles didn't reach the postseason to be a feel-good story. They're here to win games.
Takasu hit a leadoff homer in the first inning and starter Hisashi Iwakuma went the distance as the Eagles made their playoff debut with an 11-4 rout of the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Game 1 of the first stage of the Pacific League Climax Series on Friday night at Kleenex Stadium in Sendai.
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