Koki Kitayama allowed four hits over the distance for his first career shutout, pitching the Nippon Ham Fighters past the Lotte Marines 2-0 Saturday.
Kitayama (2-0) struck out seven, walked one batter and hit another in the 116-pitch gem at Es Con Field Hokkaido near Sapporo. The win allowed the Fighters to move past Lotte into second place in the Pacific League.
"The fans always give me nice applause when I take the mound to start an inning, and in the eighth and ninth inning, that was a big boost," said the 25-year-old Kitayama.
Go Matsumoto singled in the first off tough Lotte lefty Kazuya Ojima (1-3), scored on a Chusei Mannami single and singled in an insurance run in the eighth.
"We knew (Kitayama) had a good fastball," Marines manager Masato Yoshii said. "And we knew he worked up in the zone. But we were unable to do anything against him today."
Among other games Saturday, the defending Central League champion Hanshin Tigers knocked out Chunichi Dragons ace Yudai Ono (1-1) in the second inning of their 15-2 win. Hanshin has won its last five decisions.
The PL-leading SoftBank Hawks came from behind to finish in a 3-3, 12-inning tie with the defending champion Orix Buffaloes.
