Rookie Hayato Takagi continued to impress on Sunday, when he allowed a run in seven innings for the Yomiuri Giants in a 4-1 win over the Central League-leading Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Takagi (4-0), the Giants' third-round draft pick last autumn, has now allowed six runs over 36 innings in five career starts. The right-hander kept Swallows hitters completely off-balance with a live fastball and slow, slider-like cutter. Takagi allowed three hits and a walk, while striking out three.
"My whole focus was to prepare well this week and pitch my kind of game and I did that," said Takagi, who located well on both sides of the plate. "I'm very happy to be able to accomplish that in this kind of situation."