Shun Yamaguchi pitched into the seventh inning at his old stomping grounds as the Yomiuri Giants beat the Yokohama BayStars 9-4 to lower their magic number to clinch the Central League pennant to two on Friday.
"The guys worked hard to get me runs, starting in the first inning," said Yamaguchi, who joined Yomiuri after the 2016 season. "The relievers are all pretty tired at this part of the season, but they hung in there."
"I'm looking forward to winning a pennant more than anything, more than individual numbers. But winning at 'Hamasta' (Yokohama Stadium) feels great."