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Some rights reserved.
Having finished in last place in the Central League seven times since 2002, not much has been bright for Yokohama. But second-year starter Takayuki Makka is certainly aiming for the stars.
The 20-year-old allowed five hits and a walk while fanning seven over five innings, and the BayStars rallied for four runs in the sixth inning to break open a close game and give the lefty his first pro win in an 8-1 decision over the Yomiuri Giants in Tuesday in Gunma Prefecture
The already-overused Yokohama bullpen held the Giants to one hit over the final four innings to close out Yokohama's first four-game winning streak since July 2009.
Makka (1-0) threw 92 pitches and watched from the bench as the sometimes-shaky bullpen closed it out.
“I know it has to be tough for the those guys – they’re pitching every day -- but I knew the game was in good hands,” Makka said of the pen.
“We want to sweep the series, get over .500 and aim for the top,” said Makka, whose pro debut was a no-decision against the Giants last Sept. 26. “We want to try and win the league title and that's the attitude I’m going to pitch with. I only went five innings today, but next time I want to pitch seven innings or more and not put a strain on the team.”
Shuichi Murata had a two-run triple in a three-run fourth inning, and Takeshi Hosoyamada had an RBI double in the four-run sixth to pace the BayStars, who scored eight runs on nine hits, seven walks -- including three in the sixth -- and three Yomiuri errors.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
FIGHTERS 2, EAGLES 0
Nippon Ham's Yu Darvish (4-1) said he felt funny pitching in quake- and tsunami-battered Sendai against Tohoku Rakuten at The Kleenex Box, but he didn’t look like in on the mound, tying his personal-best with 15 Ks in a six-hitter for his 13th career shutout.
Darvish, who has won four straight decisions, walked one while firing 136 pitches, and Sho Nakata homered for the third time in four games -- a two-run shot off Rakuten ace Hisashi Iwakuma (3-2) in the sixth inning -- for all the scoring.
Darvish is 3-2 vs. Iwakuma in six career meetings.
HAWKS 10, BUFFALOES 1
Nobuhiro Matsuda had two hits, including his PL-best seventh homer, and Hiroki Kokubo had two hits and a pair of RBIs as SoftBank blasted Orix at home.
The Swallows and Dragons, Tigers and Carp, and Marines and Lions were rained out.