Yomiuri Giants rookie Hirokazu Sawamura came within two outs of his first career shutout but settled for a complete-game 3-1 victory over the Hiroshima Carp on Saturday.
Sawamura (5-6), who was drafted by Yomiuri in the first round out of Chuo University, held his opponents to just three hits, struck out eight and walked one in a 115-pitch outing at Tokyo Dome.
The 23-year-old right-hander put zeroes up on the scoreboard through the first eighth frames until Yoshihiro Maru hit a sac fly with one out and runners on second and third in the ninth.