Shoki Murakami of the Hanshin Tigers pitches during an NPB game against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome on Aug. 16, 2025. (Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) — Shoki Murakami threw a two-hit shutout Saturday to put a damper on the party atmosphere at Tokyo Dome as the Central League-leading Hanshin Tigers beat Yomiuri 3-0 in a memorial game for the Giants’ late former star player and manager Shigeo Nagashima.
Murakami (10-3) struck out nine while issuing just one walk in a 123-pitch gem to upset the hosts, who all wore the No. 3 uniform donned by “Mr. Giants” Nagashima who died at 89 in June.
Nagashima was a key player on the Giants team that won nine consecutive Central League and Japan Series titles from 1965 to 1973, rising to stardom during Japan’s era of rapid economic growth. As manager, he won five pennants, including two Japan Series titles, over 15 seasons spanning two stints through 2001.
Before the game, former New York Yankee Hideki Matsui, who was picked as the No. 1 draft pick by Nagashima soon after his return to management in 1992, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Nagashima’s former Yomiuri teammate Sadaharu Oh, whose 868 home runs are a Nippon Professional Baseball record, and former Giants and Japan manager Tatsunori Hara stood inside the batter’s boxes to mark the special occasion.
But the Tigers silenced the home crowd when Shota Morishita hit a two-run home run to left off Giants starter Haruto Inoue (3-7). The lefty allowed another run in the third on Yusuke Oyama’s RBI double.
Murakami, who did not allow a batter to reach second base, gave up his second hit with a single to open the sixth. But the Tigers nipped a potential jam in the bud with a double play before Murakami closed out the game with three perfect innings.
In other action, the Lotte Marines beat the Pacific League-leading SoftBank Hawks 7-2 to end their seven-game skid.