Swallows Prey on Tigers with Back to Back to Back Jacks

For four perfect innings, Hanshin Tigers righthander Shinobu
Fukuhara toyed with Yakult Swallow hitters, at one point striking out
four in a row. It looked like it would be another miserable evening
for the Swallow offense.

However, in the bottom of the fifth, Yakult broke through with
a walk to first baseman Roberto Petagini, a sacrfice bunt by catcher
Atsuya Furuta and then an RBI double rammed up the leftcenterfield
alley at Jingu Stadium by leftfielder Satoshi Takahashi for the first
run of the game. Takahashi eventually came around to score thanks to a
wild pitch and a groundout for a 2-0 lead. Then Fukuhara came unglued.

In the bottom of the sixth, Petagini came up again and lofted
a three run homer into the centerfield seats, giving the home team a
comfortable 5-0 lead. But those who made the trek out to Jingu
despite the fact that its typhoon season right now were treated to
something special when Furuta promptly lined a shot into the leftfield
bleachers and then Takahashi took Fukuhara deep as well for back to
back to back jacks, a rare thing at anytime, but especially in the
pitching rich Central League. Takahashi is now 3-6 for the season
against Fukuhara.

Not to be outdone, second baseman Takahiro Ikeyama, in his 17th year and possibly contemplating retirement, went yard in the eighth for his second homer of the season, both within the last three games.

American import Jason Jacome pitched six shutout innings to pick up the victory in the 8-0 whitewash. The Swallows are now 8-4
against Hanshin during this campaign.