Matsumoto, three homers lift Giants to 6-0
The Yomiuri Giants beat the Yokohama DeNA BayStars 6-0. Homers by Matsumoto, Sasaki and Izumiguchi fueled an early lead, and Howard earned the win. The game was at Tokyo Dome with 42,270 attendance and a 2-hour 25-minute span.
Tigers rally past Swallows 4-3
The Hanshin Tigers rallied to beat the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 4-3, scoring four runs in the seventh inning to turn the game. Monbetsu (門別) was the winning pitcher and Dolis recorded his 18th save. Attendance at Jingu was 29,328.
Kikuchi’s go-ahead homer lifts Carp to 3-1
The Hiroshima Toyo Carp defeated the Chunichi Dragons 3-1. Kikuchi hit a solo 5th-inning homer in the eighth to provide the decisive run, and Moriura recorded the save. The game at Mazda Stadium drew 28,727 fans and lasted 2 hours 53 minutes.
Reyes’ 22nd homer fuels Nippon-Ham 6-1 win
The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 6-1. Reyes hit a solo 22nd-inning homer in the third that keyed the offense, and starter Tatsu earned the win. The game at Es Con Field drew 30,158 fans.
Ota’s 11th-inning homer gives Orix 5-4 win
The Orix Buffaloes edged the Saitama Seibu Lions 5-4 in 11 innings. Ota hit an 11th-inning solo walk-off, his 8th, and Yoshida earned the victory. The Belluna Dome contest lasted 4 hours 46 minutes.
Seibu collects 14 hits but falls in extras
The Saitama Seibu Lions recorded 14 hits in the game but lost 5-4 to Orix in 11 innings. Despite plenty of offense, they came up short in the late extras and will look to rebound in the next game.
Rakuten vs SoftBank rained out
The scheduled game between the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on July 31 was postponed due to rain. The clubs and organizers are expected to announce makeup arrangements; check official channels for details.