Dicky Gonzalez tossed 5⅓ innings of two-run ball, and Shinnosuke Abe hit a go-ahead three-run homer as the Yomiuri Giants rallied past the Chunichi Dragons in a 3-2 victory to lower their magic number to clinch the Central League title to one on Wednesday night.
The Giants, who are 11 games in front of the second-place Dragons, can clinch their first league pennant in three years, if they beat or tie the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on Friday. Even if Yomiuri loses, it will clinch if Chunichi falls against the Hanshin Tigers.
Abe launched his 25th home run of the season, a drive to right off lefty Yudai Ono (4-3), after singles by Hisayoshi Chono and Hayato Sakamoto put runners at the corners with one out in the fourth inning at Nagoya Dome.