Lefty Gary Rath combined with Junichi Kawahara on a seven-hit shutout and Yomiuri did all its scoring on home runs as the Giants blanked the Hanshin Tigers 4-0 at Koshien Stadium on Friday for their first win against the Central League leaders this year in seven matchups.
Rath (1-0) pitched eight innings on 126 pitches, giving up six hits while fanning seven for the win.
Kawahara gave up a single to Atsushi Kataoka in the ninth but held on for his fourth save.