Same ‘old’ story …

Ageless wonder Yamamoto tosses gem, sets club win mark

Masahiro Yamamoto is the wonder who never ceases.

The 46-year-old lefty fired seven scoreless innings to earn his club-record 212st victory as the Chunichi Dragons blanked the Yokohama BayStars 1-0 on Monday at Nagoya Dome.

Yamamoto, who lowered his ERA to a Central League-best 0.55 [in 33 innings over five games], yielded just two hits and no walks, while fanning five as the Dragons won their 11th straight over the ’Stars, dating back to last year.

The BayStars, who were shut out eight times this month, have dropped five straight and went 6-14 in April.

Yamamoto had to sweat out the bullpen trying to hold onto the lead before surpassing Shigeru Sugishita for the team lead in victories. Reigning MVP Takeya Asao worked a perfect eighth to set up Hitoki Iwase’s 11th save, which came after he put the tying run on second with one out.

A three-time Central League wins leader with a lifetime 212-160 record in 552 games over 28-plus seasons, Yamamoto had to hold back tears on the podium during the hero interview.

“I’m planning to work hard and keep pitching well this season, so this isn’t the end,” said Yamamoto, who has been oft-injured over the years and was unable to pitch on the first team last year. “I’m able to pitch this year and contribute and I want to show my thanks to the organization for the chance to pitch. That’s the driving force for me.”

Pinch-hitter Takehiro Donoue singled in the game’s only run.

SWALLOWS 7, CARP 1

Shinya Miyamoto and Kazuhiro Hatakeyama had two hits each, and Shohei Tateyama (3-0) held Hiroshima to a run over seven innings as Yakult took the rubber game of its series at The Zoom.

The Swallows got to Carp ace Kenta Maeda (3-2), who pitched a no-no on April 6, for four runs on seven hits and a two walks to knock him out after six innings. Miyamoto is now four hits shy of 2,000.

TIGERS 0, GIANTS 0, 11 INNINGS

Hanshin’s Randy Messenger and Yomiuri’s Hirokazu Sawamura matched each other pitch for pitch for seven scoreless innings each, and the bullpens continued the deadlock as the teams finished in a stalemate at Tokyo Dome.

It was the first scoreless tie between the teams since Nov. 7, 1943.

PACIFIC LEAGUE

EAGLES 2, FIGHTERS 1

Takahiro Shiomi (3-2) tossed seven sharp innings, holding Nippon Ham to a run on four hits and three walks with six Ks, and Luis Garcia homered as Rakuten picked up a win in the series finale.

The eventual game-winning run scored on Eiichi Koyano’s error in the seventh. Darrell Rasner worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.

BUFFALOES 5, LIONS 4

Lee Dae Ho cracked a score-tying solo shot in the seventh and Aarom Baldiris belted a walk-off solo blast in the ninth as Orix rallied from four runs down to top Seibu and avoid a sweep at Kyocera Dome.

Baldiris, who doubled and scored in a three-run sixth, hit homers in all three games in the series. It was his third career walk-off homer and the first sayonara win for the Buffaloes this season.

MARINES 4, HAWKS 3

Shoitsu Omatsu singled in two to key a three-run fourth, and rookie Takahiro Fujioka (3-1) put in a quality start [three runs allowed in six innings] as Lotte topped SoftBank at The Q. to take the rubber game of that series.

Yasuhiko Yabuta closed the game with the tying run on second by stabbing a comebacker for his eighth save.