Shinjiro Hiyama, George Arias and Yoshinori Okihara each drove in three runs as the Hanshin Tigers cranked out 18 hits, including five runs in the first and seven runs in the second inning, for a 14-3 victory over the Yomiuri Giants in the Central League on Saturday.

The Tigers, who saw their magic number for clinching the league pennant reduced to 46 at Koshien Stadium, made good on four Yomiuri errors and had eight hits in the second to make it 12-0. Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi (6-2) pitched a five-hitter over the distance and struck out nine while Gary Rath (3-4) got just four outs for the Giants.

In what appeared a repeat performance of their 14-1 demoralization to the Tigers on Friday, the Giants managed only five hits, including Tomohiro Nioka's two-run homer in a three-run ninth, before they sank to a season-low fifth straight loss.

Swallows 9, BayStars 5