Tsuyoshi Wada retired all 12 batters he faced as Softbank pitching staff came within one out of a perfect game and settled for a one-hitter in a preseason game against the Yomiuri Giants on Sunday.
Ryota Wakiya managed a two-out single in the ninth inning for Yomiuri's only runner of the game, while five Softbank pitchers struck out a total of 12 in a 5-0 victory at Yahoo Dome.
Nobuhiko Matsunaka and Hiroki Kokubo hit back-to-back homers in the second inning off Jeremy Powell. Yomiuri rookie left-hander Norihito Kaneto gave up three runs and three hits in two innings of work.
At Hiroshima Stadium, Carp ace Hiroki Kuroda, who underwent surgery on his right elbow in the offseason, threw two scoreless innings and Hiroshima beat the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 6-0.
At Skymark Stadium, former Arizona Diamondback Andy Green went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and a single in his bid to hit in the heart of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham lineup and the Fighters tied 3-3 with the Orix Buffaloes in nine innings. At Matsuyama Stadium, Jeff Liefer hit a two-run homer and Toru Hosokawa had two singles and a double as the Seibu Lions beat the Yokohama BayStars 8-5.