Baseball: Kinami the hero as Tigers close in on Japan Series berth

The Hanshin Tigers moved to within one win or one tie of their first Japan Series berth in nine years when Seiya Kinami’s ninth-inning single drove in the winning run in a 2-1 win over the Hiroshima Carp in Thursday’s Game 2 of their Central League Climax Series Final Stage.

Tigers closer Suguru Iwazaki worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the win, while the hosts handed Carp closer Ryoji Kuribayashi the loss at Hanshin’s historic Koshien Stadium outside Osaka.

“I managed to come out and pitch as I usually do,” Iwazaki said. “But it’s my first final stage at Koshien and the atmosphere is absolutely am...