They also won 11 straight winning decisions, their longest streak in 37 years, and spent the majority of the summer in first place.

Orix's last Japan Series appearance and title was in 1996, when Ichiro Suzuki helped to lead the then-named BlueWave to victory.

Takatsu also recorded a save for the Swallows in the clinching game of the 2001 series against the Kintetsu Buffaloes prior to their merger with the BlueWave.

[10] This break, along with games cancelled or postponed by weather or COVID-19, required the Japan Series to be pushed back into late November.

With the postseason delayed by one week due to the COVID pandemic, a scheduling conflict arose with an amateur baseball tournament.

[14] Additionally, Orix held the last game of the series at Hotto Motto Field in Kobe instead of Kyocera Dome Osaka because of scheduling conflicts with AAA concerts.

[28] With Yakult closer Scott McGough pitching in the ninth inning, the Buffaloes led off with a single by Kotaro Kurebayashi and a walk by pinch hitter Adam Jones.

In the eighth inning, however, Naomichi Nishiura drew a one-out walk and then Yasutaka Shiomi hit a single with two outs.

Relief pitcher Ryo Yoshida was brought in to replace Miyagi and struck out a batter to end the inning.

Orix right fielder Yutaro Sugimoto then misplayed a single by José Osuna that allowed Santana's pinch runner to score.

Takahashi pitched in the bottom of the ninth inning and retired all three batters to end the game and earn the win.

[32] After Tajima gave up a one-out single in the fifth inning, the Buffaloes replaced him with Motoki Higa, who recorded an out and was quickly relieved by César Vargas.

[31] The Swallows responded in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff single by Nori Aoki followed by a fly out and a strikeout.

[30] Domingo Santana hit a solo home run for Yakult in the second inning off of Orix starter Soichiro Yamazaki.

He then scored to tie the game on a single by Yuma Mune after Santana couldn't field the ball cleanly in the outfield.

In the bottom half of the inning with two outs against Orix reliever Hirotoshi Masui, Santana walked and Yuhei Nakamura hit a single.

Masui was replaced by reliever Motoki Higa and José Osuna singled to give the Swallows the lead, 2–1.

Yakult relief pitching was able to keep Orix scoreless for the remainder of the game, securing 41-year-old Ishikawa and the Swallows the win.

Orix pinch-hitter Adam Jones hit the game-winning home run off Yakult closer Scott McGough in the ninth inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, Orix catcher Kenya Wakatsuki was ruled out at first base on a ground ball, but the call was overturned on review.

After a sacrifice bunt moved Wakatsuki to second base, Shuhei Fukuda drove him home and tied the game with an RBI single.

Two Swallows batters reached base on errors to begin the top half of the sixth inning, however, Yakult was unable to score.

Nakamura batted 7-for-22 (.318) with three RBIs in the series, and was credited for two caught stealings and his handling of Yakult's pitching staff.