Tomoyuki Sugano turned, slapped his glove and thrust both arms into air once the ball was safely secure in Daikan Yoh's glove in center field. He wore a broad smile as catcher Seiji Kobayashi enveloped him in a hug near the mound at Jingu Stadium. The rest of the Yomiuri Giants were beaming as well.
A postseason no-hitter, the first in Climax Series history, and in the series-clinching game no less, seems to have that effect on people.
Sugano's only blemish was a walk issued to Tetsuto Yamada in the seventh and the Kyojin hitters backed him with three home runs in a 4-0 victory over the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Game 2 of the Central League Climax Series First Stage on Sunday. Yomiuri swept the series 2-0.