Former major leaguer Mac Suzuki gave up six hits and struck out five over seven innings to win his first decision in Japan as the Orix BlueWave blanked the Kintetsu Buffaloes 4-0 on Tuesday at Osaka Dome.
Suzuki, who posted a 16-31 record in the majors, used 150-kph fastball effectively to keep the Buffs at bay. Suzuki was a No. 2 draft pick last fall and is playing his first season as a pro in his native country.
The BlueWave scored two runs in the sixth inning on Buffaloes starter Shinichi Kato's throwing error. With none out and the bases loaded, Kato picked up a grounder by Scott Sheldon, but threw wildly to the plate, allowing two runs to score.