Yoshinori Sato held back NPB's top offense for as long as he could. It turned out to be just long enough for one of Japan's top offensive players to put the game away.
Sato held the Hiroshima Carp scoreless for six innings and Tetsuto Yamada hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to help the Tokyo Yakult Swallows earn a 5-2 win on Thursday night at Jingu Stadium.
"I wasn't at my best, but I knew if I could keep them from scoring that I would have a chance to win," Sato said.