The top three regular-season finishers played in the two series.
Saitama Seibu Lions won the series, 2–0.
Having won the previous two games and along with the one-game advantage, the Hawks needed a win or a tie to advance to the Japan Series.
After the Lions' did not score in the top half of the 12th inning, the Hawks secured a tie game, which ensured that they would advance, however the bottom half of the inning was played anyway.
When this situation occurred again in the First Stage of the 2014 Central League Climax Series, the decision was made to not play the bottom half of the last inning.