Sometimes winning is everything …

Sugiuchi finally notches 1st win

As staff ace, going up against opponents’ best hurlers can impact the win-loss record. SoftBank’s Toshiya Sugiuchi came in with a sparkling ERA in four previous starts, but was winless in two decisions.

The southpaw (1-2) put an exclamation point on his first victory of the season Saturday, fanning a career-high-tying 15 in a four-hitter as the Hawks blanked the Seibu Lions 3-0 at home.

It was Sugiuchi’s 15th career shutout, and he only walked one. But he was worried right up until the final out on his 142nd pitch.

“I had a dream that it was a 1-0 game and they scored four runs in the ninth and we lost,” Sugiuchi said about a dream the previous night. “I thought they’d come back to win.”

Sugiuchi was the last starter in the rotation to earn a victory, and it was weighing on his mind.

“Everyone else was getting wins and for me not have any was frustrating.”

Meanwhile, slugger Alex Cabrera cracked his 350th homer in Japan, a second-inning solo shot for all the support Sugiuchi would need. Cabrera, who played for the Seibu Lions for from 2001-07 and the Orix Buffaloes the past three seasons, topped Hiromitsu Ochiai (now Chunichi skipper) for the fastest player to that milestone in 1,169 games.

MARINES 4, EAGLES 0

Yuki Karakawa (4-1) won his fourth straight decision, fanning three and walking one in a four-hit shutout of Rakuten at The Q.

The Eagles have been blanked five times in 10 games this month.

FIGHTERS 11, BUFFALOES 2

Yoshio Itoi’s bases-loaded double capped an eight-run second inning off Hiroshi Kisanuki (0-3) as Nippon Ham pounded on Orix in Hokkaido.

Sho Nakata doubled twice and drove in two to back Bobby Keppel (3-0), who held the Buffaloes to a run on five hits and a walk with five Ks over seven innings.

CENTRAL LEAGUE

CARP 5, GIANTS 4

Yomiuri closer Levi Romero (0-1) melted down in the ninth inning, walking three, firing a game-tying wild pitch and ending the game by hitting Yoshiyuki Ishihara with the bases loaded to force home the winning run for Hiroshima at The Zoom.

The only hit in the inning was a leadoff infield single by Akihiro Higashide.

SWALLOWS 2, BAYSTARS 0

Masanori Ishikawa (3-1) went 8.2 innings of scoreless ball, allowing six hits with no walks and seven Ks for his career 100th win, and Lim Chang Yang needed one pitch to record his sixth save as Yakult blanked host Yokohama.

Wladimir Balentien remained hot, blasting his Japan-high 13th home run to pad the lead in the eighth inning.

DRAGONS 4, TIGERS 3

Chen Wei-yin (1-1) worked six scoreless innings and Joel Guzman and Tony Blanco each hit solo shots to help Chunichi top Hanshin at Koshien Stadium.