Right-hander Nao Higashihama threw five scoreless innings to lead the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks to a 6-1 victory over the Chiba Lotte Marines in their final regular season game on Monday.
The Hawks finished the regular season second in the six-team Pacific League with an 82-60-1 record. They will face the third-place Nippon Ham Fighters when the first stage of the Climax Series opens on Saturday.
The Seibu Lions have clinched the league pennant, and the Marines sit in fifth place behind the Orix Buffaloes with three games remaining in the season.
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