Lefty Yuta Iwasada struck out 12, doubling his previous career high, in a gutsy seven-inning effort for the Hanshin Tigers in a 5-0 win over the Yokohama BayStars in the Central League on Saturday.
The 24-year-old Iwasada, the Tigers' top draft pick in 2013, allowed four hits and a walk in the longest start of his brief career to win what started as a tight contest with former Tiger Yasutomo Kubo at Yokohama Stadium.
"I could understand what (catcher Ryutaro) Umeno was trying to do, and I just executed each pitch as well as I could," Iwasada said.