Ace Masanori Ishikawa allowed three hits over 7⅔ scoreless innings as the Tokyo Yakult Swallows held off the Yokohama BayStars in a 3-2 Central League win on Wednesday.
Ishikawa (7-8) walked one and struck out three, and closer Ryo Akiyoshi allowed two runs in the ninth but held on to earn his 17th save.
The win pushed the fourth-place Swallows to within 3½ games of the third-place BayStars in the battle for the CL's third and final playoff spot. The Swallows, last year's CL champs, have eight games remaining, while the BayStars, chasing their first postseason berth in 18 years, have nine.