With his chances to pitch for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks this season not looking good, Daisuke Matsuzaka threw seven innings on Saturday in a 1-0 no-hitter over the Hiroshima Carp.

Matsuzaka struck out six and walked two, while two more former big leaguers, Ryota Igarashi and Dennis Sarfate, completed NPB's first preseason no-hitter since 1988.

Told before the game that he would not be in the starting rotation to start the season, the 36-year-old right-hander expressed satisfaction with his results.