The 2004 Japan Series, the 55th edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's championship series, began on October 16 and ended on October 25, and matched the Pacific League playoffs winner Seibu Lions against the Central League Champion, Chunichi Dragons.

The Dragons pitching staff was led by Kenshin Kawakami and Masahiro Yamamoto, while Hitoki Iwase anchored the back of the bullpen.

In the middle of the infield, the Dragons were led by the amazing double-play tandem of Hirokazu Ibata and Masahiro Araki.

Jose Fernández hit a two-out single in the first but was stranded there, and Kawakami left Kazuhiro Wada at third after he hit a leadoff triple, but Hiroyuki Nakajima and Kosuke Noda both grounded out, Hiroyuki Takagi drew an intentional walk to get to the pitcher Ishii, who struck out.

The 2-0 lead would be enough for the Seibu pitching staff, as Ishii would work seven shutout innings, giving up just two hits and striking out six.

Pitching in his third Japan Series, wily veteran screwballer Masa Yamamoto was lit up for two runs in the first inning off the bat of Fernandez, who also drove in Satoh who led off the game with a single.

Matsuzaka made matters worse by plunking his second batter of the inning, this time Masahiko Morino, to re-load the bases.

Finally, light-hitting catcher Motonobu Tanishige walked to force another run home and give Chunichi their first-ever lead at Nagoya Dome in the Japan series, 3-2.

Takagi led the inning off with a single, then Satoh and Akada bot hit doubles to vault Seibu into the lead, 4-3.

Tatsunami followed it up with three of his four RBIs on the day, as he hit his first home run of the series to right field, a three-run blast that tied the game at 6-6.

Pinch-hitter Mitsunobu Takahashi then singled home another run to finish Matsuzaka's day and give Chunichi an 8-6 lead.

The fourth inning saw the first runs of the game, as the potent Seibu bats once again came alive, and the feared slugger Alex Cabrera finally came to life himself.

Satoh and Fernandez both singled their way on, and then Cabrera launched his first home run of the series to give Seibu the 3-0 lead.

After Hoashi got the first out of the inning, Tatsunami and Ochoa both singled their way on to load the bases, and Takahashi drew a walk to force in one run.

However, Toyoda would not let the Dragons get any closer in the 9th, as he stuck out two batters in the 9th to record the save and give Seibu a 2-1 series lead.