Not without a fight ...
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Some rights reserved.
Nakata's power display helps Fighters avoid sweep
Backed into a corner with his team’s lead in the Pacific League hanging in the balance, Sho Nakata hit back hard.
The result was a two-run homer to get Nippon Ham even and a two-run double that virtually KO'd the Seibu Lions on Sunday, leading the Fighters to a 6-2 victory.
The Fighters, who couldn't hold leads in the first two games of the series, looked lifeless until the sixth inning. Yoshio Itoi opened the frame with a double to right -- moving to third when Yutaro Osaki bobbled the ball and fired a wild throw -- and Nakata launched a curve from Takayuki Kishi (10-11) into the seats in left.
It was the fifth-year pro's first homer at Seibu Dome, and it made the score 2-2. He came up with two aboard in the seventh and sent a back-breaking double to the fence in nearly the same spot for a 4-2 Fighters lead.
Fighters starter Masaru Nakamura looked headed for an early knockout. He allowed a first-inning run before escaping a bases-loaded jam. The righty allowed another run in the fifth, and got the hook after that frame.
Reliever Dustin Molleken (2-1) allowed a runner in the seventh but posted a zero to pick up the win.
The Fighters got a strong effort from their pen to close it out, using closer HIsashi Takeda in a nonsave situation in the ninth.
CENTRAL LEAGUE
TIGERS 5, DRAGONS 2
Matt Murton slapped an RBI single up the middle to break a 2-2 tie and Takashi Toritani had a homer and a scoring flyball as Hanshin salvaged the finale at Koshien by topping Chunichi.
Randy Messenger (8-11) held Chunichi to two runs over six innings for the win.
GIANTS 2, SWALLOWS 0
D.J. Houlton (12-7) held Yakult scoreless over seven innings as Yomiuri awakened from its title-drunk daze to win at home.
The victory clinched a winning record for the Giants over every other CL club.