The Seibu Lions' hopes of their first Pacific League pennant in four years are now as slim as can be after a 4-0 defeat to the Chiba Lotte Marines on Monday.
The loss left the Lions 3½ games behind the PL-leading Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, who were idle but had their magic number to clinch the pennant reduced to one. The Lions need to win all five of their remaining games to have any chance of winning the pennant.
The Marines' Katsuya Kakunaka added another highlight to his breakthrough season with a two-run, first-inning triple and a pair of RBI singles. Seth Greisinger (12-8) held the Lions to three hits in seven innings. The right-hander struck out five without allowing a walk.