Three pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Orix Buffaloes defeated the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 6-0 on Saturday.
Takahiro Matsuba (8-1) worked six scoreless innings despite walking eight batters and allowing three hits to earn the win for the Buffaloes, who have already locked up second place in the Pacific League.
The Eagles, who won their first Japan Series a year ago, are barely clinging to fifth place, leading the last-place Seibu Lions on winning percentage. Rakuten has two games remaining on its schedule and could still finish last.
Wily Mo Pena, who joined Orix in the offseason, hit his 32nd home run.
CENTRAL LEAGUE
Giants 4, BayStars 0
At Tokyo Dome, Yuki Koyama allowed two hits over five innings, Hirokazu Sawamura completed a three-hit shutout and Shuichi Murata hit a three-run homer off his former club as Yomiuri blanked Yokohama.
