TOKOROZAWA, SAITAMA PREF. – Shuta Tonosaki hit a three-run, first-inning home run, leading the Seibu Lions to an 11-4 victory over the Orix Buffaloes on Tuesday that saw two ejections.
With the Lions leading 5-1 in the third, the benches emptied momentarily after Seibu starter Hiromasa Saito hit Shunta Goto, although nothing came of it. The teams exchanged words and shoves earlier this month in Osaka, and things heated up when Orix catcher Kenya Wakatsuki was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning.
Wakatsuki took a few steps toward the mound before heading toward first base at the umpire’s urging. However, Buffaloes first-base coach Manabu Satake charged the mound and shoved Lions reliever Ryosuke Moriwake. The benches emptied again, Moriwake was ejected and both benches were warned against retaliation.
In the bottom of the inning, with Seibu leading 5-2, however, Wakatsuki three times called for pitches well inside to Lions catcher Tomoya Mori. Orix starter Daiki Tajima (3-4) hit Mori with a pitch and was ejected. That loaded the bases and Seibu cleanup hitter Takeya Nakamura put the game on ice with a three-run double.
Stefen Romero hit a pair of solo home runs for the Buffaloes, while Seibu designated hitter Ernesto Mejia went 4-for-5, scored twice and drove in three runs.
Hawks 3, Eagles 0
At Sendai’s Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi, Fukuoka SoftBank rookie Rei Takahashi (10-3) outdueled Rakuten rookie Hayato Yuge (2-1), guiding the league-leading Hawks past the Eagles.
Marines 6, Fighters 1
At Tokyo Dome, Hiromi Oka doubled in the ninth and scored the go-ahead run on Shogo Nakamura’s single as Chiba Lotte scored five runs in the inning to beat Hokkaido Nippon Ham.
CENTRAL LEAGUE
Carp 2, Giants 1 (11)
At Hiroshima’s Mazda Stadium, Seiya Suzuki doubled to open the 11th inning and scored his second run of the game on Yoshitaka Isomura’s sacrifice fly as Hiroshima ended Yomiuri’s five-game winning streak.
Swallows 8, BayStars 7
At Tokyo’s Jingu Stadium, Wladimir Balentien’s seventh-inning double plated Norichika Aoki with the go-ahead run as Tokyo Yakult rallied to beat Yokohama.
Tigers 0, Dragons 0 (12)
At Nagoya Dome, Hanshin had eight hits and drew seven walks but was unable to score in its scoreless tie with Chunichi.
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Source : Baseball – The Japan Times