Left-handed ace Atsushi Nomi allowed a run in six innings on Wednesday as the Hanshin Tigers beat the Hiroshima Carp 4-2 to move within a hair of the Carp in the race for the second seed in the Central League playoffs.
Nomi (9-13) gave up just five hits without a walk, while striking out four, and Matt Murton and Takashi Toritani each singled in early runs off rookie Daichi Osera (10-8) before 32,014 at Hiroshima’s Mazda Stadium.
Osera gave up three runs, two earned, in four innings. Although the Carp remain in second place, the Tigers now trail only on winning percentage points, .525 to .524.
The second-place team will host the best-of-three first stage playoffs, with the winner to take on the league champ Yomiuri Giants in the second stage at Tokyo Dome.
Dragons 4, BayStars 2
At Nagoya Dome, Yudai Ono (10-8) allowed a run in 5-1/3 innings and playing manager Motonobu Tanishige singled in two runs as Chunichi beat the BayStars, who are now guaranteed to finish below .500 for the 13th straight season.
Swallows 2, Giants 1
At Jingu Stadium, rookie Toshihiro Sugiura (2-2) allowed a run on five hits over seven innings and Yasushi Iihara broke a 1-1 tie with a sacrifice fly as Tokyo Yakult beat CL champion Yomiuri.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
Fighters 8, Eagles 1
At Sapporo Dome, lefty Mitsuo Yoshikawa (3-4) allowed a run in seven innings, Takuya Nakashima broke the ice with a third-inning RBI single and Haruki Nishikawa doubled in two runs in the fourth as Hokkaido Nippon Ham squashed Tohoku Rakuten for its fifth straight win.
Marines 7, Lions 0
At QVC Marine Field, rookie right-hander Ayumu Ishikawa (10-8) allowed four hits without a walk, while striking out 10 for his first career shutout, while Ikuhiro Kiyota and Alfredo Despaigne each homered in Chiba Lotte's win over Seibu.
