Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 over eight innings, pitching the Orix Buffaloes to a 5-0 win over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series' final stage on Wednesday.
The victory at Kyocera Dome Osaka, combined with the Buffaloes' one-win advantage as league champions, gives them a 2-0 lead in the six-game series. SoftBank's loss snapped its 18-game postseason win streak.
Yamamoto allowed five singles and no walks as he used his forkball, one of the most effective pitches in Japan, to devastating effect.