Surprise BayStars starter Shoichi Ino threw five scoreless innings before Kosuke Fukudome belted a two-run, sixth-inning homer, lifting Randy Messenger and the Hanshin Tigers to a 2-0 win over Yokohama in Game 1 of the Central League Climax Series First Stage.
Messenger allowed three hits but no walks over six innings to earn the win at Koshien Stadium. Tigers reliever Kentaro Kuwahara worked around a leadoff single and a one-out walk in the eighth to shut down the BayStars.