The NPB postseason began with the promise of a pitcher's duel, with a pair of aces on the mound on a chilly Saturday afternoon in Saitama Prefecture.
Only one was able to hold up his end of the bargain.
Seibu Lions star pitcher Yusei Kikuchi threw a five-hit shutout in his first career playoff game, the Lions' hitters pounced on Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles starter Takahiro Norimoto early, and the team came away with a dominating 10-0 victory in Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series First Stage in front of a crowd of 32,547 at MetLife Dome.