The Seibu Lions are pinning their postseason hopes on the Pacific League champion Fukuoka Softbank Hawks after tying 2-2 in 11 innings with the Chiba Lotte Marines on Monday night.
After their second straight tie, the Lions must beat the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters on Tuesday at home and will also need the Hawks to defeat the third-place Orix Buffaloes if Seibu is to make a dramatic run into the Climax Series.
Both teams got on the board in the fourth at QVC Marine Field.
Ginjiro Sumitani staked the Lions to a 2-0 lead with a two-out, two-run double but the PL's last-place team quickly tied the game up in the bottom half of the inning.