Unheralded lefty Keiji Takahashi pitched and fielded his position well over eight innings for the Yakult Swallows in a 6-0 Central League win over the Hanshin Tigers on Thursday.
Takahashi (1-1) worked around a first-inning leadoff single by making a good defensive play to force the runner at second. He then picked off the runner at first and cruised until he had to work out of an eighth-inning jam.
Hanshin starter Shintaro Fujinami (0-2), a former No. 1 draft pick once considered Japan's top pitching prospect, brought his good stuff to the game at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium. With a lively fastball over 150 km per hour, a good splitter, cut fastball and slider, the Swallows were fortunate to score off him.