Yu Darvish wasn't as dominant as he usually is but with the Fighters' offense clicking for once he didn't have to be.
Yomiuri Giants outfielder Luis Gonzales (second from right) is welcomed by his teammates after hitting a
grand slam in the second inning against the Hanshin Tigers at Koshien Stadium on Wednesday. The Giants
won 11-1.
KYODO PHOTODarvish threw eight strong innings and was backed by an inside-the-park home run and a few nifty plays in the field as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters pulled away in a four-run seventh to defeat the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 6-0 on Wednesday at Tokyo Dome and clinch a playoff spot.
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