Save the day…

Iwase sets saves record as Dragons come back to top Hawks

Hitoki Iwase is not a man of many words, but he is a man of many saves—a Japan-record 287, in fact.

The taciturn lefty retired the side in order on Thursday at Nagoya Dome to nail down the Chunichi Dragons’ 5-2 come-from-behind interleague victory over the seemingly untouchable SoftBank Hawks.

The 13th-year hurler needed just 11 pitches to close it out and slip past Shingo Takatsu’s record, which the Dragons hurler equaled on Sunday.

After a series of very short answers during the hero interview, Iwase said he didn’t focus on his save total, but rather his 11th save of the season.

“I took the mound with the approach that this was just another game and not like this was something special,” said Iwase.

“I’m happy I was able to get the record in one shot,” he quipped. “I owe a lot to the other players,” said Iwase, who had little to say about becoming the all-time saves leader.

And how about the record?

“Yes, I’m happy,” said Iwase, who said he was nervous in his most memorable save, the 2007 Japan Series combined perfect game, and one other time.

“The times my legs were shaking a lot were [my first] Opening Day and that Japan Series game,” said Iwase, who ended the hero interview by vowing to add to his record.

“I’ll work hard to try and shoot for 300,” said Iwase, who moved to the back of the bullpen in 2004. The 36-year-old has recorded five 40-plus-save seasons, including a single-season record 46 in 2005, and strung together seven consecutive years with 30 or more saves.

The Hawks went on top with a pair of runs in the second inning. Nobuhiko Matsunaka clubbed his fourth homer, a solo shot, and Toru Hosokawa singled in a run with two out.

Ryosuke Hirata got Chunichi even with a third-inning bloop double to left, and Kei Nomoto’s RBI single in the fourth gave the Dragons a 3-2 lead. Hirata and Naomichi Donoue, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, each knocked in runs in the seventh to pad the lead.

Kazuki Yoshimi (5-2) went seven innings, holding the Hawks to two runs on four hits with no walks and three Ks, to earn the victory.

CARP 8, EAGLES 6

Yoshihiro Maru had three hits, including his fourth homer and an RBI double, and Kenta Maeda (3-4) fanned 10 over seven innings as Hiroshima scored early and often before holding off visiting Rakuten.

Maeda, who hadn’t won in about six weeks, worked around six hits and four walks, thanks mostly to the team’s highest run total since May 7. Dennis Sarfate
(friend of the blog) notched his 12th save by retiring the two batters he faced after Rakuten scored four times in the ninth.