Takayuki Shimizu drove in four runs, including a three with a home run in the third inning, as the Central League-leading Yomiuri Giants lowered their "magic number" to one with a 6-4 road victory over the Hiroshima Carp on Thursday.
| Central League | |||||
| Won | Lost | Tied | Pct. | GB | |
| Yomiuri | 76 | 53 | 0 | .589 | - |
| Chunichi | 64 | 59 | 0 | .520 | 9.0 |
| Yokohama | 62 | 62 | 1 | .500 | 11.5 |
| Yakult | 57 | 61 | 1 | .483 | 13.5 |
| Hiroshima | 57 | 66 | 1 | .463 | 16.0 |
| Hanshin | 55 | 70 | 1 | .440 | 19.0 |
| Pacific League | |||||
| Won | Lost | Tied | Pct. | GB | |
| Daiei | 67 | 54 | 2 | .554 | - |
| Seibu | 61 | 56 | 5 | .521 | 4.0 |
| Nippon Ham | 64 | 59 | 1 | .520 | 4.0 |
| Orix | 55 | 61 | 3 | .474 | 9.5 |
| Lotte | 54 | 61 | 5 | .470 | 10.0 |
| Kintetsu | 57 | 67 | 2 | .460 | 11.5 |
The earliest Yomiuri can win the CL pennant will be Saturday, when they return to the Tokyo Dome to play against the second-place Chunichi Dragons.
Giants reliever Ryuji Kimura pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win, while Shinichiro Minami worked the last 1 2/3 innings and got his second save.
Hiroshima starter Toshikazu Sawazaki (4-4) gave up four runs in 2 1/3 innings and took the loss.
Dragons 5, BayStars 3
Kosuke Fukudome went 3-for-4 and hit a two-run homer off Yokohama starter Takeo Kawamura (7-10) as Chunichi beat the BayStars at Yokohama Stadium.
Shinichiro Koyama (2-2) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief for the win.
Last year's CL batting leader Bobby Rose went 3-for-3 including a two-run homer in the third, and drove home all three runs for the 'Stars.
Current CL leading batter Tatsuhiko Kinjo was 1-for-5 and is now at .351.
Eddie Gaillard worked the ninth and earned his 33rd save.
Swallows 5, Tigers 0
Lefty Kazuhisa Ishii scattered four hits over eight scoreless innings while fanning 11 for his eighth win as Yakult blanked Hanshin at Koshien Stadium.
Shinya Miyamoto hit a three-run homer for Yakult.