To say the Hanshin Tigers have been successful against the Yomiuri Giants is a somewhat of a misnomer. It's probably more accurate to say the Tigers have owned the Giants in the early part of the season. Refer to the 2004 ALCS when Boston Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez remarked, "I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy," and that's the level of Yomiuri frustration we're approaching here.
The Tigers sent the Giants to their first series defeat at home with a 3-2 win on Wednesday night at Tokyo Dome, a game that capped a three-game sweep and was Hanshin's fourth straight victory over the first-place Kyojin overall.
"All the players have worked hard, and we won three in a row," manager Yutaka Wada said afterward.