Seibu Lions leadoff man Shogo Akiyama rewrote Japan's single-season hit record with his 215th and 216th hits on Thursday in a 4-1 loss to the Orix Buffaloes.
Akiyama entered the Lions' final game of the regular season needing one hit to surpass the 214 that Matt Murton recorded in 2010 for the Central League's Hanshin Tigers. On Wednesday, Akiyama went 5-for-5 with two walks, one in his final at-bat.
His record-breaking hit in the sixth inning was just the second for the Lions against veteran right-hander Bryan Bullington (5-3): both infield singles to third that might easily have been ruled errors on three-time Golden Glove winner Eiichi Koyano.