The Chunichi Dragons have had some rough beginnings this year, but as their pitching staff rounds into form, Hiromitsu Ochiai's team is setting itself up to make some noise in the Central League pennant race.
The Dragons have been one of Japanese baseball's hottest teams recently, winning 11 out of their last 14 games to climb within 5 1/2 games of the front-running Yomiuri Giants following Wednesday night's games.
Tony Blanco and reigning CL Monthly MVP Kazuhiro Wada have led the charge at the plate lately, but the Dragons' pitchers should be credited for keeping the Nagoya club in games.