Aces at war…

Rakuten ace Hisashi Iwakuma had his moment in this year World Baseball Classic, helping Japan repeat. But it was Nippon Ham ace Yu Darvish who is the most-coveted future major leaguer.
Iwakuma had his day in the sun, at Darvish’s expense, shutting the Fighters out 3-0 on a two-hitter on Sunday at Kleenex Stadium Miyagi.
Iwakuma retired 15 straight over one stretch and didn’t allow a runner to reach third base against the Pacific League’s last-place team.
It was Iwakuma’s first shutout in two years, and the team’s first of the season.
“We were facing Darvish and we won yesterday and, with it being my turn, there was no way I wanted to lose today,” Iwakuma said. “I went out there with everything I had and was able to pitch my best.”
The Fighters, who sunk to 13 games below .500 for the first time since September 2005, failed to hit as Darvish suffered his 13th complete-game loss.

LIONS 6, BUFFALOES 4
Yasuyuki Kataoka’s scoring fly ball capped a five-run fourth inning that propelled Seibu to a win over Orix at Kyocera Dome Osaka.
The Buffs had to deactivate Alex Cabrera because of a ribcage injury.

HAWKS 4, MARINES 3
Yuichi Honda’s three-run triple keyed a four-run fifth that lifted SoftBank past Lotte and Chiba Marine Stadium.

CENTRAL LEAGUE

GIANTS 7, CAPR 4
Yoshitomo Tani’s dramatic grand slam in the eighth inning erased a one-run deficit and gave Yomiuri a comeback win over Hiroshima at Tokyo Dome.
Marc Kroon, who has a torn tendon in his pitching hand, worked a scoreless ninth for his third save.

TIGERS 3, DRAGONS 1
Takahiro Arai broke a 1-1 tie with a single in the sixth inning, and added another RBI hit in the eighth as Hanshin topped Chunichi at Koshien Stadium.

BAYSTARS 3, SWALLOWS 2
Terrmel Sledge’s RBI groundout in a three-run third inning was the difference as Daisuke Miura (2-0) worked six scoreless innings to help Yokohama halt a four-game skid.