NAGOYA – Tsubasa Aizawa delivered the game-winning hit in the 10th inning on Saturday as the Hiroshima Carp weathered a late rally from the Chunichi Dragons before claiming a 5-4 win.
Hiroshima starter Hiroki Tokoda, who is 6-6 this season, tossed six solid innings at Nagoya Dome and settled for a no-decision, striking out five while allowing an unearned run on a defensive error before the Dragons came alive in the ninth.
Chunichi right-hander Yuya Yanagi gave up three runs over seven innings and also did not factor in the decision.
Yohei Oshima led off the first with a hit to right field, advanced to second on a wild pitch and came around to score after Dragons second baseman Juan Santana let Dayan Viciedo’s grounder get through.
The Carp answered with three runs in the second on four straight hits, with Kaito Kozono driving in the tying run with a double and Santana making up for his first-inning error with a two-run single that put Hiroshima ahead.
The visitors squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the fifth when Yanagi yielded two straight hits and a walk, and Tokoda had to pitch out of a sixth-inning jam triggered by an error from right fielder Seiya Suzuki to keep Hiroshima’s lead intact.
Kozono recorded his second RBI of the game in the eighth before the Dragons staged their last-minute comeback against Carp closer Shota Nakazaki (3-3) in the ninth.
Toshiki Abe led off with his third hit of the game and scored on a double from pinch hitter Issei Endo. Nobumasa Fukuda cranked a game-tying single to right before Nakazaki was able to get his third out.
But with one out in the 10th and following a double from Suzuki, Aizawa hit a timely single off Dragons reliever Toshiya Okada (2-2) to put Hiroshima ahead 5-4.
Carp rookie Atsushi Endo retired the side in the home half of the inning to earn his first save.
Giants 8, BayStars 6 (11)
At Tokyo Dome, pinch hitter Shingo Ishikawa belted a two-run homer in the 11th to lead Yomiuri past Yokohama.
Tigers 7, Swallows 4
At Tokyo’s Jingu Stadium, Tokyo Yakult rookie Kengo Tagawa (0-1) gave up six runs in his first professional start in a loss to Hanshin.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
Fighters 7, Buffaloes 1
At Osaka’s Kyocera Dome, Toshitake Yokoo’s two-run, go-ahead blast in the fourth helped lift Hokkaido Nippon Ham over Orix before a five-run ninth sealed the win.
Lions 6, Eagles 5 (10)
At Tokorozawa’s MetLife Dome, Tohoku Rakuten rookie Yoshiaki Watanabe sent the game into extra innings with his first career homer, but Seibu recorded a sayonara victory on Takeya Nakamura’s 10th-inning double.
Marines 9, Hawks 5
At Chiba’s Zozo Marine Stadium, Takashi Ogino’s leadoff solo shot ignited a nine-run barrage over Chiba Lotte’s first two innings that held for a triumph over Fukuoka SoftBank.
Source : Baseball – The Japan Times