In the decisive game six of the American League Championship Series, the Boston Red Sox turned to its two Japanese pitching imports for the win and the save. It was another stellar performance for the duo of Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa, who have solidified the back-end of Boston's bullpen after a shaky start to the season.

The two men are more than teammates; their journey to the major leagues and the World Series, which starts on Wednesday with Game One against the St. Louis Cardinals, reflects the changing landscape of...