Yudai Ono of the Chunichi Dragons pitches during an NPB game against the Hanshin Tigers at Vantelin Dome Nagoya on Sept. 3, 2025. (Kyodo)
NAGOYA (Kyodo) — Yudai Ono threw six innings of two-run ball as the Chunichi Dragons beat the Tigers 5-2 on Wednesday, ensuring Hanshin’s magic number to secure the Central League pennant remains at six.
Ono (9-4) gave up a solo home run to Hayato Nakagawa in the third inning at Vantelin Dome Nagoya, but survived two-on jams in the next two frames before the Dragons scored four runs in the fifth.
Seiji Uebayashi singled in a run and Seiya Hosokawa blasted a three-run shot to right off Tigers starter Masashi Ito (4-1), who gave up five runs on 10 hits and a walk over six innings.
Ono, who yielded five hits and a walk, gave up another solo shot in the sixth, this time to Shota Morishita. But Takaya Ishikawa quickly restored the home team’s three-run lead in the home half before Shinya Matsuyama earned his CL-leading 38th save to end the Tigers’ three-game winning run.
Among other games, the Yomiuri Giants beat the Yakult Swallows 5-3, while the Pacific League-leading SoftBank Hawks eased to a 7-1 win against the Orix Buffaloes.