Tokyo Yakult Swallows and the Orix Buffaloes are one game away from making it into the Japan Series

The Tokyo Yakult Swallows and the Orix Buffaloes are one game away from the Japan Series. Both Yakult and Orix won the pennant for the Central and Pacific League last week, and automatically gives them each 1 win.

In the Central League, Yakult defeated the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants on Wednesday 4-0 and 5-0 on Thursday.

In the Pacific League, while the Orix Buffaloes defeated the Chiba Lotte Marines 1-0 on Wednesday and 2-0 on Thursday.

Many wonder if a Central League team can defeat a Pacific League team in the Japan Series.  Due to the Pacific League’s dominant pitching, a Central League team has not won the Japan series since 2012.

The Yakult Swallows have not won a Japan Series since 2001 (when they eliminated the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes, 4-1).  Yakult was in the Japan Series in 2015, losing against the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, 4-1.

The last time Orix won a Japan Series was in 1996 against the Yomiuri Giants, 4-1 (when they were known as the Orix BlueWave, led by Suzuki Ichiro).  The team has not made it to the Japan Series since the Orix BlueWave and Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes merged.

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