Alex Graman struck out 10 in his first complete game in Japan and Hiroyuki Nakajima went 2-for-4 with two RBIs as the front-running Seibu Lions beat the Softbank Hawks 4-1 on Monday.
Orix Baserunner Hirotoshi Kitagawa slides home safely on Norihiro Nakamura's three-run double as Hokkaido Nippon Ham catcher Shinya Tsuruoka tries to tag him out in the fifth inning at Sapporo Dome on Monday. The Buffaloes won 5-1.
KYODO PHOTOLeft-hander Graman (4-5) took a shutout into the ninth inning and went the distance on an eight-hitter with two walks in the first of a three-game set between the top two Pacific League teams at Yahoo Dome.
Seibu took a 2-0 lead in the third on consecutive RBI singles by Yasuyuki Kataoka and Nakajima, who added a run-scoring double in the fifth. Toru Hosokawa doubled in the fourth run in the sixth.