Four pitchers combined on a one-hitter and Michihiro Ogasawara doubled home the only run of the game Thursday as the Japanese all-stars edged their major leaguer counterparts 1-0 for their second win of the eight-game exhibition series.
Nippon Ham Fighters first baseman Ogasawara arched a double off the left-field wall at the Nagoya Dome to score the Yokohama BayStars' Tatsuhiko Kinjo all the way from first and saddle Javier Vazquez of the Montreal Expos with the loss.
With a pair of games remaining on Saturday and Sunday, the major league all-stars lead the series with three wins against two losses and a tie.
Yomiuri Giants rookie Hisanori Takahashi started for the Japanese side and held the major leaguers hitless over five innings with only one walk.
Major league starter Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks was nearly as effective, scattering four hits over four scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.
Yakult Swallows set-up reliever Ryota Igarashi picked up the win with two innings of one-hit relief.
Shinji Mori of the Seibu Lions gave up a walk to San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds to open the ninth inning, but struck out Expos infielder Jose Vidro and Gary Sheffield of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the save.
In between the strikeouts, Yakult catcher Atsuya Furuta threw out Bonds trying to steal second on a close play.
Game 7 of the series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture.