Tomoyuki Sugano didn't just hurl the Yomiuri Giants into the final stage of the Central League Climax Series for the first time in three years. He made history in the process.
Sugano threw the first postseason no-hitter in Japan pro baseball history, coming only one walk away from a perfect game in beating the Tokyo Yakult Swallows 4-0 on Sunday night at Jingu Stadium.
The victory gave the third-place Giants a two-game sweep of the first-stage series over the Swallows, and a place in the final stage against the first-place Hiroshima Carp, who won a third straight CL pennant. The best-of-seven series, in which the Carp start with a 1-0 advantage and host all games, starts Wednesday.
Sugano's no-hitter was the second for the Giants this season, after Shun Yamaguchi did it against the Chunichi Dragons on July 27.
"It's the best feeling," said the 29-year-old right-hander, who struck out seven in a 113-pitch effort. "I never thought it would be my name etched in history [as the first no-hitter in the postseason]. From now, I will work hard not to sully that name."
Sugano's bid for a perfect game ended when he issued a full-count walk with two outs in the seventh inning to Tetsuto Yamada. But he came back to strike out slugger Wladimir Balentien with an outside slider to end the inning.
The Giants got all of their runs from home runs by Hisayoshi Chono, Casey McGehee and Yoshiyuki Kamei.
Despite having earned a reputation as a fastballer, control has been a key to Sugano's success. In 202 innings pitched this season, he issued a CL-low 37 walks.
And he went into the postseason on quite a roll. From the middle of September, he finished up the season by throwing 32 consecutive scoreless innings, including three straight shutouts.
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