Kazuki Inoue hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run first inning, leading the Chunichi Dragons to a 12-4 rout of the Hiroshima Carp in the Central League on Sunday.
Tomohiro Nioka of the Yomiuri Giants belts a solo homer in the eighth inning of Sunday's game against
the Yakult Swallows at Tokyo Dome.
KYODO PHOTO
Hirokazu Ibata, Masahiro Araki and Kosuke Fukudome also homered in the first two innings off Hiroto Tanaka (0-1), who made his first career start, to help front-running Chunichi lead 8-4 at Hiroshima Stadium.
Tyrone Woods delivered a two-run single in the seventh to cap the scoring for Chunichi. Yuichi Hisamoto (1-1) got the win after working 3-1/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter Mitsuru Sato.