Yomiuri Giants Near Central League Crown

JAPAN - Yuki Yoshimura and Shuichi Murata homered Thursday as the Yokohama BayStars downed the Yomiuri Giants 8-4, keeping their magic number at two for the Central League title.

The bottom-dwelling BayStars snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Giants, who saw their CL lead over the Hanshin Tigers cut to a half game a day after winning the final head-to-head clash between the archrivals.

Yoshimura helped Yokohama to an early 6-0 lead at Tokyo Dome, hitting a three-run shot to left-center in the first inning and an RBI groundout in the third.

Alex Ramirez hit his CL-leading 44th homer to lead off the fourth and Yoshitomo Tani added a two-run homer to pull Yomiuri within 6-3 in the inning.

But Murata tied Ramirez in the home run race an inning later and restored Yokohama’s comfortable lead with a two-run drive, making it 8-3.

Takuya Kimura went deep in the seventh but Yomiuri’s rally ended there.

Yokohama lefty Yuya Ishii (2-0) allowed three runs and five hits in five innings in his first start in two seasons.

Hisanori Takahashi (8-5) was charged with six unearned runs in 2-1/3 innings. Yomiuri can clinch the title Friday with a win over the Yakult Swallows at Jingu Stadium, coupled with a Hanshin loss to Yokohama at Yokohama Stadium.

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