Chunichi hurler Shigeki Noguchi tossed a one-hitter over the distance for his third shutout victory of the season as the Dragons beat the Hanshin Tigers 2-0 on Thursday at Ishikawa Prefectural Stadium in Kanazawa.
| Central League | |||||
| Won | Lost | Tied | Pct. | GB | |
| Yomiuri | 28 | 18 | 1 | .609 | - |
| Yakult | 23 | 18 | 2 | .561 | 2.5 |
| Chunichi | 23 | 20 | 1 | .535 | 3.5 |
| Hiroshima | 20 | 20 | 3 | .500 | 5.0 |
| Hanshin | 17 | 26 | 0 | .395 | 9.5 |
| Yokohama | 16 | 25 | 1 | .390 | 9.5 |
| Pacific League | |||||
| Won | Lost | Tied | Pct. | GB | |
| Orix | 26 | 17 | 3 | .605 | - |
| Daiei | 27 | 18 | 1 | .600 | 0.0 |
| Kintetsu | 24 | 23 | 1 | .511 | 4.0 |
| Seibu | 23 | 24 | 0 | .489 | 5.0 |
| Lotte | 21 | 23 | 2 | .477 | 5.5 |
| Nippon Ham | 14 | 30 | 3 | .318 | 12.5 |
The lefty starter, making his ninth appearance of the year, fanned 16 batters to tie a Central League record for most strike outs in a game.
He did not let a runner past second base to remain unbeaten for his Central League-leading sixth win.
Chunichi got both runs in the second inning on a solo homer by Leo Gomez, off Hanshin starter Greg Hansell (2-3) and an RBI single by Noguchi.
The Dragons snapped their losing skid at three.
BayStars 1, Carp 0
Yokohama hurler Satoru Komiyama combined with closer Takashi Saito on a seven-hit shutout as the BayStars edged Hiroshima at Matsuyama Stadium.
Komiyama (1-3) pitched eight scoreless innings, giving up six hits and striking out five for his first win since July 19, 2000.
Saito earned his sixth save.
Carp starter Hiroki Kuroda went over the distance, limiting the BayStars to one run on seven hits in a losing effort.
Yokohama right fielder Jun Inoue drove home Takuro Ishii from third base for the only run of the game with an eighth-inning RBI single.
Hiroshima fell to .500.