Satoru Kanemura pitched his first complete game of the season with a three-hit shutout and got home run support from Atsunori Inaba on Wednesday as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters blanked the Orix Buffaloes 4-0 to win their ninth straight game -- their longest winning streak in 42 years.
Nippon Ham outfielder Atsunori Inaba smiles after hitting a three-run homer in the third inning against
Orix at Sapporo Dome on Wednesday. The Fighters won 4-0.
KYODO PHOTOKanemura (6-4) allowed three singles in the first three innings before holding Orix hitless the rest of the way in the Pacific League game at Sapporo Dome for his first shutout in two years. The right-hander struck out five and walked two.
Tsuyoshi Shinjo went 3-for-4 for Nippon Ham. The Buffaloes lost their fourth in a row and dropped a season-worst 16 games below .500.