Veteran pitcher Hideaki Wakui turned back the clock Tuesday, throwing seven scoreless innings to lead the Chunichi Dragons to a 3-0 win over the Yakult Swallows.
Wakui (4-11), a four-time Pacific League wins leader before coming to the Central League this year for the first time, scattered five hits while striking out six and walking one at Vantelin Dome Nagoya.
The 37-year-old right-hander picked up his first win since June 25. Seiya Hosokawa hit a two-run home run in the first inning off Cy Sneed (6-7).
"I pitched here for the first time in a while, so I was a bit nervous," Wakui said. "Thanks to Hosokawa's two-run homer, I was able to get into the game nicely. My fastball is back. I'm starting to pitch my game again."
Shuhei Takahashi singled in an insurance run for the Dragons in the eighth. The Swallows are winless in their last seven games, losing six times with a tie.
The DeNA BayStars beat the CL-leading Hanshin Tigers 3-2, while the Hiroshima Carp edged the Yomiuri Giants 5-4.
In the Pacific League, the SoftBank Hawks shut out the Orix Buffaloes 7-0, the Lotte Marines blanked the Nippon Ham Fighters 6-0 and the Rakuten Eagles defeated the Seibu Lions 2-1.
