Swallows stay on course with win over BayStars
The Central League-leading Yakult Swallows have that magical look of a pennant-winning team, and the Yokohama BayStars are playing the role of captivated audience.
Masanori Ishikawa (5-4) frustrated the BayStars, tossing one-run ball over seven innings in a 4-1 victory at Jingu Stadium on Saturday. The lefty scattered seven hits and walk with five Ks for his sixth straight win over the BayStars since Aug. 31, 2008.
Shinya Miyamoto got him an early lead with an RBI single in a two-run third. Josh Whitesell, who left the game after twisting his left ankle in the fifth, had an RBI single in the fourth and Kazuhiro Hatakeyama also drove in a run with the second of his three hits.
The BayStars, in last place in the CL, have lost six straight to the Swallows.
TIGERS 4, GIANTS 2
Craig Brazell belted a tiebreaking solo shot in the fourth and Takahiro Arai’s RBI groundout in the fifth was the difference as Hanshin topped Yomiuri at Koshien Stadium.
The Giants, who committed two errors, fell to fourth while the Tigers leapfrogged into third.
DRAGONS 7, CARP 2
Kazuki Yoshimi (6-2) held Hiroshima to a run on six hits over eight innings, and Masahiro Araki broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run triple in the sixth as Chunichi pulled away late and ripped the Carp.
Joel Guzman capped the six-run outburst with his fourth homer of the season, his first since May 20.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
EAGLES 9, LIONS 1
Masahiro Tanaka (7-2) handcuffed Seibu on three hits over eight innings, and Randy Ruiz led a 14-hit attack with a homer and a double to lead Rakuten to a season-best nine runs in a romp at Seibu Dome.
The Eagles beat up on Lions ace Hideaki Wakui (4-5), who surrendered four runs, three earned, on seven hits and a walk. Tanaka fanned 12 and didn’t walk a batter.
FIGHTERS 3, HAWKS 1
Yoshio Itoi’s two-out, two-run double in the third put Nippon Ham on top, and Masaru Takeda (5-5) evened his record with five strong innings as the Fighters moved to within a game of first by edging SoftBank at FYJ Dome.
Toshiya Sugiuchi (4-3) gave up three runs over seven innings to suffer the loss.
BUFFALOES 4, MARINES 1
Keiji Obiki drove in two runs and Lee Seung Yeop doubled in a run and singled as Orix topped Chiba at The Q.
The Buffaloes moved a game over .500 for the first time since the second day of the season.
Swallows stay on course with win over BayStars
The Central League-leading Yakult Swallows have that magical look of a pennant-winning team, and the Yokohama BayStars are playing the role of captivated audience.
Masanori Ishikawa (5-4) frustrated the BayStars, tossing one-run ball over seven innings in a 4-1 victory at Jingu Stadium on Saturday. The lefty scattered seven hits and walk with five Ks for his sixth straight win over the BayStars since Aug. 31, 2008.
Shinya Miyamoto got him an early lead with an RBI single in a two-run third. Josh Whitesell, who left the game after twisting his left ankle in the fifth, had an RBI single in the fourth and Kazuhiro Hatakeyama also drove in a run with the second of his three hits.
The BayStars, in last place in the CL, have lost six straight to the Swallows.
TIGERS 4, GIANTS 2
Craig Brazell belted a tiebreaking solo shot in the fourth and Takahiro Arai’s RBI groundout in the fifth was the difference as Hanshin topped Yomiuri at Koshien Stadium.
The Giants, who committed two errors, fell to fourth while the Tigers leapfrogged into third.
DRAGONS 7, CARP 2
Kazuki Yoshimi (6-2) held Hiroshima to a run on six hits over eight innings, and Masahiro Araki broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run triple in the sixth as Chunichi pulled away late and ripped the Carp.
Joel Guzman capped the six-run outburst with his fourth homer of the season, his first since May 20.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
EAGLES 9, LIONS 1
Masahiro Tanaka (7-2) handcuffed Seibu on three hits over eight innings, and Randy Ruiz led a 14-hit attack with a homer and a double to lead Rakuten to a season-best nine runs in a romp at Seibu Dome.
The Eagles beat up on Lions ace Hideaki Wakui (4-5), who surrendered four runs, three earned, on seven hits and a walk. Tanaka fanned 12 and didn’t walk a batter.
FIGHTERS 3, HAWKS 1
Yoshio Itoi’s two-out, two-run double in the third put Nippon Ham on top, and Masaru Takeda (5-5) evened his record with five strong innings as the Fighters moved to within a game of first by edging SoftBank at FYJ Dome.
Toshiya Sugiuchi (4-3) gave up three runs over seven innings to suffer the loss.
BUFFALOES 4, MARINES 1
Keiji Obiki drove in two runs and Lee Seung Yeop doubled in a run and singled as Orix topped Chiba at The Q.
The Buffaloes moved a game over .500 for the first time since the second day of the season.