Tsuyoshi Wada worked eight impressive innings as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks earned a big 3-0 win over the surging Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, who fell a half-game back in the Pacific League pennant race.
Wada (13-4), who now leads both leagues in wins, struck out nine without issuing a walk to win the first game of a three-game set at Sapporo Dome. Although Wada was coming off a tough loss in his last outing, it was the sixth straight start in which the lefty lasted at least seven innings while allowing two or fewer runs.
"I'm really tired," said Wada, who returned to Japan this season after four years in the United States. "I took the mound having confidence we would win.