Tokyo Yakult Swallows third baseman Munetaka Murakami became Nippon Professional Baseball's youngest Triple Crown winner at 22 on Monday, topping the Central League with a .318 batting average, 56 home runs and 134 RBIs.
Murakami, who was the runaway leader in home runs and RBIs, went 2-for-4, including his 56th homer in the regular-season finale, during an 8-2 win over the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Jingu Stadium, holding off a late-season challenge by Chunichi Dragons outfielder Yohei Oshima, who hit .314.
Murakami is only the eighth player to achieve the feat and the first since Nobuhiko Matsunaka of the then Daiei Hawks in 2004.