CHIBA -- Alex Cabrera will have to wait another year for a chance to erase Sadaharu Oh and Tuffy Rhodes from the record books.
Cabrera, who tied the Japan single-season record on Oct. 2 with his 55th home run, couldn't find the one perfect pitch he was looking for Monday in the Seibu Lions' final game of the season, a 3-2 win over the Chiba Lotte Marines.
"I tried to break the 40-year-old record, but I couldn't this year," Cabrera said after the game at Chiba Marine Stadium. "My last five games, the fans have been wanting me to break the record and I'm sorry I couldn't, but I'll try to do it next year."