page_title: Chunichi Dragons
section_title: 2007 Japan Series title
hierarchical_section_title: Chunichi Dragons / Franchise history / 2007 Japan Series title
caption_attribution_description: 日本語: プロ野球の国際公式戦・アジアシリーズ　コナミカップ2007 優勝チーム中日ドラゴンズ English: Konami Cup 2007 Asia Series Champions Chunichi Dragons
context_page_description: The Chunichi Dragons are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chūbu region of Japan. The team plays in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. They have won the Central League pennant 9 times and the Japan Series twice in 1954 and 2007. They were also champions in the 2007 Asia Series.
context_section_description: In early 2007, the NPB playoff rules were changed: The top team in the league would advance automatically, while the second and third teams in the league would play a best-of-three series. The winner would face the first-place team in a best-of-five series to see who would advance to the Japan Series finals.
  The Dragons took advantage of the new playoff system, and after finishing second in the season standings, swept the Hanshin Tigers in a best-of-three series, then, in a huge upset, swept the heavily favoured Yomiuri Giants in a best-of-five series to advance to the Japan Series against the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. In an exact reversal of the 2006 Japan Series, Hokkaido won game 1 of the series, but the Dragons won the next four straight games, including a combined perfect game from Daisuke Yamai and star closer Hitoki Iwase in the deciding Game 5, to become the 2007 Japan Series Champions, ending 53 years of frustration and the longest Japan Series drought in NPB history.
caption: The Chunichi Dragons after winning the 2007 Japan Series title
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