Latest news with #PacificLeague-leading
The Mainichi
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Baseball: Takahashi tames Tigers as Dragons win 6th straight game
NISHINOMIYA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Hiroto Takahashi threw a four-hit shutout as the Chunichi Dragons beat the Central League-leading Hanshin Tigers 6-0 on Wednesday, winning six straight games for the first time this season. Takahashi (3-8), who pitched for Japan during its 2023 World Baseball Classic final win over the United States, struck out seven without a walk to prevail in a pitching duel with Hiroto Saiki (7-5) at Koshien Stadium. The Tigers' right-hander was perfect until two outs in the fifth inning but allowed a two-run double to Seiji Uebayashi in the sixth. The Dragons added four runs off the home team's second reliever, Rito Kinoshita, in the ninth. In other action, the Hiroshima Carp edged the DeNA BayStars 4-3 to end their seven-game losing skid. The Pacific League-leading Nippon Ham Fighters routed the Seibu Lions 10-1 for their fourth straight win.
The Mainichi
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Baseball: Swallows prevail to end Tigers' 11-game winning run
NISHINOMIYA (Kyodo) -- The Yakult Swallows held on to beat the Hanshin Tigers 6-3 on Friday, ending the Central League-leading club's 11-game winning streak. The Swallows, bottom of the CL, scored all their runs in the second inning at Koshien Stadium, where their six straight singles with two outs scored two runs before Soma Uchiyama slugged a grand slam to left off Shoki Murakami (8-3), who was taken off after the inning. Swallows starter Peter Lambert (2-7), who plated their first run, allowed four singles and a walk to open the fourth as the Tigers scored two runs before getting three straight outs to end the inning. He issued three straight walks to start the fifth, and Yusuke Oyama drove in his second run of the game with a sacrifice fly. But the former Colorado Rockies right-hander retired the next two batters and earned the win after giving up six hits and five walks over five innings. In other action, Ryuhei Sotani (8-3) threw eight shutout innings as the Orix Buffaloes blanked the Nippon Ham Fighters 6-0 to end the Pacific League-leading club's five-game winning run.
The Mainichi
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Baseball: Hawks' Kohei Arihara blanks old team Fighters in close win
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Kohei Arihara hurled a six-hit shutout striking out 11 as the SoftBank Hawks held off the Pacific League-leading Nippon Ham Fighters 1-0 on Tuesday. Former Fighter and Texas Ranger Arihara (5-5) had a runner on third in the second, fifth and eighth innings at Tokyo Dome, but kept his old team at bay for his first shutout win of the year allowing just one walk. The right-hander, who decided to join the Hawks in 2023 instead of returning to the Fighters after two seasons with the Rangers, has now won against all 12 current Nippon Professional Baseball teams. Fighters starter Koki Kitayama (5-3), who had a no-hitter bid ended in the ninth in his last outing on June 19, also allowed six hits, fanned five and walked two over eight innings. He allowed his only run in the sixth on Akira Nakamura's sacrifice fly. In other action, the DeNA BayStars snapped their four-game losing skid by beating the Chunichi Dragons 3-2 in the Central League.
The Mainichi
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Baseball: Chusei Mannami's 2-RBI double gives Fighters win over Lions
TOKOROZAWA, Saitama (Kyodo) -- Chusei Mannami hit a go-ahead, two-RBI double to give the Pacific League-leading Nippon Ham Fighters a 5-2 comeback win against the Seibu Lions as intraleague play resumed Friday. Mannami broke a 2-2 deadlock with one out and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning at Belluna Dome, driving his first pitch from right-hander Hiroshi Kaino (2-3) to right field. Nippon Ham starter Hiromi Ito (8-4) threw eight impressive innings, finishing with 12 strikeouts after allowing two early runs. The Fighters tied the game with two runs in the fourth, including a home run from catcher-cum-outfielder Yua Tamiya, who started in left field. Nippon Ham manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo credited his team's youthful vigor for its track record of winning close games this season against tough opponents. "We have a slight advantage because we are young," he said. "It's a matter of physical strength.
The Mainichi
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Baseball: Fighters' Koki Kitayama misses no-hitter in 9th inning vs Giants
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nippon Ham Fighters right-hander Koki Kitayama came within two outs of a no-hitter Thursday in their 4-1 win over the Yomiuri Giants in interleague. The 26-year-old Kitayama (5-2) took a perfect game into the seventh inning at Tokyo Dome before issuing his only walk with two outs, and Takumi Oshiro ended a no-hit bid by ripping a 1-2 forkball for a solo home run to right with one out in the ninth. "It was a precious experience. Not managing to achieve it means I'm still weak in some aspects, and I'll keep setting the bar high to eventually accomplish it one day," said Kitayama, who struck out five in a 122-pitch gem for the Pacific League-leading Fighters. Giants starter Iori Yamasaki (6-2) had allowed one run over 17 innings in his past two starts but was roughed up early as Daigo Kamikawabata doubled in a run in the second before Ariel Martinez, Yua Tamiya and Chusei Mannami plated a run each in the third. Kitayama, named the 2022 Opening Day starter despite being the Fighters' eighth-round draft pick just months earlier, said he will "keep giving my best to repay" the faith shown by skipper and former MLB player Tsuyoshi Shinjo. In other action, Jon Duplantier (3-3) had a four-hit shutout, fanning 12 as the Central League-leading Hanshin Tigers beat the Lotte Marines 2-0.
