Norichika Aoki hit a leadoff single to right field in the first inning of the Yakult Swallows' 5-0 win over the Yokohama BayStars on Tuesday night, making him the second player in Japanese baseball history to reach 200 hits in a single season.
Aoki, who went 2-for-4 with a walk on the night, became the first player in the Central League, and the second overall, to reach the milestone after Ichiro Suzuki collected 210 hits in 1994, when he was with the Pacific League's Orix BlueWave.
Aoki achieved the mark in his 145th game, improving to 201 hits on the season with one game remaining, while Ichiro, who now plays for the Seattle Mariners, had 210 hits in a 130-game season.