New depths ….

Nomura shows Hiroshima rotation strength with 8 scoreless in win

The Hiroshima Carp are going to new depths -- with their rotation, that is.

Rookie Yusuke Nomura fired eight scoreless innings and the Carp used just enough offense to beat the Yakult Swallows 3-0 at The Zoom on Sunday.

The Carp, who had lost five straight, saw Nomura throw a career best in innings and allow just one hit. He fanned four and walked two to improve to 2-1.

He outdueled Yakult’s Orlando Roman (1-4), who has been Mr. Hard Luck this season -- all four of his loses coming when the Swallows were blanked.

Jun Hirose’s RBI single in the opening inning gave Nomura a lead, and Nick Stavinoha belted his third longball -- a two-run shot -- in the sixth for insurance.

DRAGONS 3, BAYSTARS 0

Shinji Iwata (2-0) struck out 12 during seven shutout innings, and Hirokazu Ibata and Naomichi Donoue each had RBI singles as host Chunichi won its 10th straight decision against Yokohama, dating back to last season.

GIANTS 2, TIGERS 0

Tetsuya Utsumi (2-3) worked seven shutout innings, and Ryuichi Kajimae had a single and a double to back the lefty as Yomirui blanked Hanshin at Tokyo Dome for its fifth straight victory.

PACIFIC LEAGUE

LIONS 3, BUFFALOES 1

Shogo Akiyama had three hits, including an RBI triple, and four relievers helped Ryoma Nogami (1-0) get his first win since Aug. 18, 2008 as Seibu edged Orix at Kyocera Dome.

It was the fourth straight win for the Lions, while the Buffaloes have dropped seven of their last eight.

FIGHTERS 4, EAGLES 0

Masaru Takeda (4-0) tossed a two-hitter, and Terrmel Sledge had an RBI double and a two-run homer to lead Nippon Ham past Rakuten at The Kleenex Box.

Takeda needed just 96 pitches to work his way through the Rakuten lineup, tossing a three-pitch inning and setting down the side in order in the ninth.

MARINES 2, HAWKS 1

Yuki Karakawa (4-1) scattered eight hits, working out of a ninth-inning jam after allowing a run, to lead Lotte past SoftBank.