Double-duty right-hander Shohei Otani struck out nine in a five-hit shutout as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters defeated the pennant-contending Orix Buffaloes 1-0 on Saturday.

Before 34,675 at Sapporo Dome, Otani (11-4) got a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Keiji Obiki, and escaped his biggest jam with a double play in the eighth after surrendering a pair of no-out singles.

Otani walked two batters in his second shutout of the season to outduel rookie Daiki Tomei, who allowed just one hit through six innings.