Chunichi closer Hitoki Iwase became the first pitcher in Japanese baseball to reach 300 career saves and Tony Blanco hit a three-run go-ahead homer in the Dragons' 5-2 win over the Hiroshima Carp on Saturday.
All-time saves leader Iwase retired three in the ninth for his 24th save of the season after Blanco's blast over the left-field wall turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning at Mazda Stadium.
"I failed to get the save in my last outing (against the Hanshin Tigers on Thursday), so I am glad I could achieve it today," said Iwase, who became baseball's all-time leader in an interleague game against the Softbank Hawks when he recorded his 287th save on June 16.