Teruaki Sato hit a grand slam and Koyo Aoyagi threw six scoreless innings as the Hanshin Tigers extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 4-0 victory over the Yomiuri Giants on Wednesday.
The Central League-leading Tigers reduced their magic number to one for clinching their first league title in 18 years, following the second-place Hiroshima Carp' 5-1 loss to the Yakult Swallows.
Sato drove a 1-1 pitch from rookie Hayate Matsui over the wall in right-center in the third inning after the Tigers loaded the bases against left-handed starter Kai Yokogawa (4-8) at Koshien Stadium.
Sato went 3-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch, finishing a triple shy of the cycle.
Aoyagi (8-4) scattered four hits over six innings before three relievers worked an inning each.
In the day's other CL game, DeNA BayStars left-hander Shota Imanaga struck out 11 through eight innings of one-run ball, but his team lost to the Chunichi Dragons 2-1 in 11 innings.
In the Pacific League, the Nippon Ham Fighters beat the Orix Buffaloes 5-2.
