Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto made a strong closing statement in what could be his final game in Japan before an anticipated move to the major leagues.
Yamamoto threw a complete game with a Japan Series-record 14 strikeouts on Saturday to help the Orix Buffaloes defeat the Hanshin Tigers 5-1 and force a decisive Game 7.
The 25-year-old Yamamoto does not have enough service time to become a free agent in Japan but could be offered to major league teams under the posting system agreed to by MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball.
His 14 strikeouts, recorded over 138 pitches, broke a record previously held by Yu Darvish.