Nippon-Ham 3, at Lotte 5

CHIBA, Japan (Interstat) — The Chiba Lotte Marines, defying pregame projections and capitalizing on a decisive third-inning rally, defeated the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters 5-3 on Thursday evening at a damp Chiba Marine Stadium to claim the rubber match of their three-game series. A crowd of 25,125 watched as the Marines, installed as underdogs, overcame an early deficit by answering a two-run Fighters’ rally with a three-run outburst of their own in the bottom of the third inning. That frame proved to be the game’s pivotal moment, shifting momentum permanently in favor of the home team. The game began as a… Read more...