2021 Pacific League Climax Series

The Final Series was a best-of-six with the Orix Buffaloes, the Pacific League champion, being awarded a one-win advantage against the Marines, the winner of the First Stage.

[4] The Chiba Lotte Marines made a push for the PL title late in the season, having a chance to win it with three games remaining on their schedule.

The unearned run, however, resulted from a throwing error Sasaki made in the second inning, allowing Hiroaki Shimauchi to score from second base.

Lotte loaded the bases in the third, after Takashi Ogino singled, Leonys Martín drew a walk, and Shogo Nakamura reached first on a ball hit to Norimoto.

To start the inning, Ryosuke Tatsumi drew a walk and Hikaru Ohta reached base on a throwing error by Kuniyoshi.

Rakuten went on to draw two more walks to load the bases, and then scored three more runs when Shimauchi doubled off new reliever Yuki Karakawa, putting the Eagles ahead, 4–3.

The Marines responded with two singles to start the bottom of the second inning, with Hechavarria scoring Oka while hitting into a double play to cut the Eagles lead to one.

A home run by Yamaguchi in the sixth inning off of Eagles' reliever Tomohiro Anraku gave Lotte their first lead of the game.

Marines' relievers Chihaya Sasaki and Naoya Masuda kept Rakuten scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, securing the 4–4 tie.

In the bottom of the first inning in Game 1, Marines starter Ayumu Ishikawa walked two batters, allowing Yuma Mune to score from second base on a single by Takahiro Okada.

In the bottom of the sixth, Mima left the game after a single by Masataka Yoshida struck his leg and Marines relief pitcher Yusuke Azuma was brought in to replace him.

In the top of the third inning, a one-out single then double by Takashi Ogino and Koshiro Wada, respectively, set up Shogo Nakamura to hit a sacrifice fly to give Lotte their first run and lead of the series.

Needing a win to continue the series, Lotte went to the PL saves leader, Naoya Masuda, in relief in the ninth inning.

The Buffaloes scored a run on three straight no-out singles by Okada, Ryoichi Adachi and Yuya Oda, to tie the game.