Baseball: Shosei Togo scrapes by as Giants shut out, sweep Carp

HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) — Shosei Togo and three relievers combined on a seven-hit shutout as the Central League-leading Yomiuri Giants beat the Hiroshima Carp 5-0 to complete a three-game sweep on Thursday.

Togo (11-7) allowed five hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings at Mazda Stadium, where the Giants managed three runs in the third against lefty Hiroki Tokoda (11-6).

Shogo Asano’s leadoff double and an infield single triggered the outburst. A throwing error by Tokoda let in the first run, with two more scoring on a pair of scratch singles.

“The early run support gave me the leeway I needed to keep them off the board, so I’m grateful to the hitters,” said Togo.

When the Carp loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, Togo struck out two batters to escape the jam. The Carp threatened again in the eighth, but closer Taisei Ota got out of the inning and worked the ninth for his 25th save.

Former Carp Yoshihiro Maru launched a two-run ninth-inning homer to complete the scoring.

The second-place Carp fell four games off the pace.