Facing odds that reeked of unfairness, the Chunichi Dragons couldn't have scripted a better beginning to the second stage of the Central League Climax Series.
A five-run first inning got the Dragons off to a blazing start, and the Yomiuri Giants watched their one-game advantage go up in smoke during a 7-2 Chunichi win in Game 1 in front of a crowd of 41,259 on Wednesday night at Tokyo Dome.
Hirokazu Ibata led off the game with a hit and Masahiko Morino and Kazuhiro Wada each drove in runs before Kei Nomoto blew the game open with a three-run homer in the first.