Yakult Swallows vs Yokohama BayStars

Both starters navigated early traffic without conceding. Yakult's Ken Matsumoto stranded two DeNA runners in the first inning and two more in the second, working around four hits through the opening two frames. DeNA's Katayama matched him, scattering two walks but keeping Yakult off the board.

The game turned in the bottom of the third. With one out, Takeoka reached on a fielding error by DeNA first baseman Sano on a routine grounder. On a 1-1 count, Nagaoka hammered a Katayama cutter to right field for a 119-metre, two-run home run — his sixth of the season, equalling his career-high from 2024.

DeNA halved the deficit in the sixth. Maki led off with a single and Tsutsugo followed with another single, putting runners at the corners. Encarnacion lined an RBI single to centre, scoring Maki to make it 2-1. But Matsumoto induced a ground-ball double-play from Sano and got Katsumata to ground to third, ending the threat.

The BayStars threatened again in the seventh when Watarai singled with one off reliever Ishihara, but Maki flew out to right. Sano singled off Liranzo in the eighth but was stranded. Closer Shimizu retired the side in order in the ninth — punctuated by a swinging strikeout of Hayashi — to earn his second save of the season.

Sano's error on a routine grounder to first base in the third inning gifted Yakult an extra out. Nagaoka made DeNA pay immediately, depositing Katayama's cutter into the right-field stands. It was the only extra-base hit of the game for either side, and the only time Yakult scored.

Hideki Nagaoka (Yakult) — 1-for-4 with a two-run homer. The 24-year-old shortstop extended his hitting streak to eight games. He launched his first home run of the season on 23 July; this sixth in 3½ weeks shows a power surge that has transformed his offensive profile.

Ken Matsumoto (Yakult) — Winning pitcher (6-4) scattered seven hits over 5.1 innings, striking out four without a walk. DeNA put the leadoff man on in four of his six frames, but he stranded six runners.

Yoshitomo Tsutsugo (DeNA) — The veteran went 3-for-4 with three singles. He was stranded in scoring position twice.

Katayama (DeNA) — The losing pitcher (2-2) deserved a better result. He allowed two runs (one earned) over 5.1 innings on five hits, striking out four against one walk. A single fielding error behind him proved decisive.

Shimizu (Yakult) — Retired all three batters he faced in the ninth for his second save.

DeNA out-hit Yakult 10-7 but went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position; Encarnacion's sixth-inning single was the only hit. Yakult had just one at-bat with a runner in scoring position all night — Nagaoka's homer — and converted it for two runs.

Yakult's bullpen (Ishihara, Liranzo, Hoshi, Shimizu) covered 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. The quartet threw 52 combined pitches.

The sweep vaults Yakult past DeNA into sole possession of third place in the Central League, both teams now at 49 wins but Yakult with a .471 percentage to DeNA's .462. Both trail first-place Hanshin (58-46-1) by 9.5 games and second-place Yomiuri (56-48-2) by 7. Five of Japan's six Central League teams make the Climax Series, so a playoff berth remains well within reach.

Yakult next face the Hiroshima Carp at home on Tuesday 18 August. DeNA travel to Nagoya for a three-game set against the Chunichi Dragons starting the same day.

A textbook pitchers' duel decided by one swing. Yakult took advantage of DeNA's defensive lapse in the third, and Matsumoto plus the bullpen made the single run of support stand up. The series sweep, Yakult's first four-game winning streak since early April, demonstrates a team finding its stride at the right time of year.