Tomohiro Nagai scattered five hits over seven-plus scoreless innings Wednesday and the Daiei Hawks moved to within one win of their second straight Pacific League pennant with a 3-0 triumph over the Seibu Lions.
Nagai (9-6) had the Seibu lineup lunging at fastballs and forkballs throughout the first six innings of the final meeting between the two teams at the Fukuoka Dome for the win, while Rodney Pedraza worked the ninth for his 34th save.
Daiei designated hitter Noriyoshi Omichi got the Hawks on the board in the fifth inning with an RBI single and Hiroshi Shibahara capped the scoring with a solo homer in the seventh.