Across the pond, Japan's Pacific League had its opening day, and the Seibu Lions and Orix Buffaloes won their openers over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and Rakuten Golden Eagles respectively.
The third game, between the last two Japan Series champs, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and Chiba Lotte Marines, ended in a 4-4 tie after rain halted play in the seventh. Julio Zuleta supplied all the offense for the Fighters with a sixth inning grand slam.
This year, both the Central and Pacific Leagues will have their top three teams play in a two-tiered playoff called The Climax Series. However, the head of the players association, Yakult Swallows player Shinya Miyamoto, is threatening to ask the players to boycott the Climax Series if changes to the draft system aren't made. There would be no plans to disrupt the Japan Series. The linked story explains it better than I can.
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