Knock-down, drag-out ...

Giants pull out series finale, move back atop CL

The Giants got a much-needed quality start from Shun Tono and production from Yoshinobu Takahashi, who hit a three-run homer, to take the series finale over the Hanshin Tigers 9-1 Thursday at Tokyo Dome.
Tono limited the Tigers to one run over 6.2 innings for his Central League-leading 12th win as the Giants took the rubber game in a three-game set to move a half-game ahead of Hanshin atop the standings.
Tono (12-3), Yomiuri skipper Tatsunori Hara’s whipping boy at times last season, allowed five hits and four walks, while fanning 11. He hasn’t lost in seven career appearances against Hanshin.
Yomiuri’s Ryota Wakiya broke the CL record for consecutive games with a run, scoring in his 15th straight. Wakiya singled in the second inning and came home on Tetsuya Matsumoto’s double just inside the left-field line.
Wakiya broke Takao Sato's record of 14 set in 1952 with the Kokutetsu Swallows.
“This is the kind of record you can’t set on your own, so I want to take the time to thank my teammates for this,” Wakiya said.

SWALLOWS 5, DRAGONS 0
A week after tossing his first career complete game, third-year righty Yoshinori Sato hurled a five-hitter in his first shutout as Yakult blanked third-place Chunichi at Jingu Stadium.
The 20-year-old Sato (7-6), who fanned eight and walked one, was helped by four double plays and Shinichi Takeuchi’s three-run homer in the first to send the Dragons to their fifth straight loss.

CARP 4, BAYSTARS 0
Former Los Angeles Dodger Eric Stults (4-7) had his best performance in Japan, firing eight scoreless innings as Hiroshima topped Yokohama at The Zoom.
Stults allowed one hit, walked two and fanned nine, and got support from Jun Hirose and Akihiro Higashide each had two hits and an RBI.

PACIFIC LEAGUE
EAGLES 9, MARINES 3
Daisuke Kusano and Suguru Ino each three hits, and Satoshi Nagai (7-7) tossed his first complete game of the season as Rakuten topped Lotte again at The Kleenex Box.
The Marines, who saw skipper rookie Norifumi Nishimura get his first ejection for grabbing an umpire while arguing a call, lost their 13th consecutive game at The Kleenex Box and their season-worst seventh straight overall.
The Marines fell into fourth place.

BUFFALOES 9, LIONS 4
Takahiro “T.O.” Okada slugged a pair of homers, his 27th and 28th, and drove in four to take over the PL lead in RBIs to power Orix past Seibu for their fourth straight win, lifting it into third place.
Francisco Caraballo also slugged a two-run homer for the Buffaloes, who are five games over .500.