After what seemed like an eternity, the Chunichi Dragons finally got rid of their magic number. They'll gladly be replacing it with another championship banner.
Tony Blanco hit a game-tying three-run home run in the sixth inning, and Takuya Asao struck out Yoshitomo Tsutsugo to end the game in the 10th and preserve a 3-3 tie with the Yokohama BayStars that clinched the Dragons' second-consecutive Central League pennant on Tuesday night at Yokohama Stadium.
"It symbolized our whole season," Dragons manager Hiromitsu Ochiai said of the clincher.