Japanese Sports Briefs

Oct 2, 2008 - 4:55 PM (Courtesy of Kyodo News Service)

TOKYO, Oct. 2 Kyodo ----------

Baseball: Chunichi moves closer to CL playoff spot on Lee's homers

YOKOHAMA - Lee Byung Kyu hit a pair of crucial homers in consecutive at-bats as the Chunichi Dragons rallied to beat the Yokohama BayStars 6-4 in 10 innings Thursday and inched closer to a playoff spot in the Central League.

The Hiroshima Carp remained two games behind Chunichi after a 1-0 blanking of the Yakult Swallows. In the day's only Pacific League game, the Lotte Marines edged the Rakuten Eagles 2-1. ----------

Tennis: Nishikori eliminated from Japan Open with 3rd-round defeat

TOKYO - Fourth-seeded Richard Gasquet of France brought an end to rising star Kei Nishikori's run at the Japan Open on Thursday with a straight-sets victory in the men's singles third round.

World No. 13 Gasquet broke serve twice in both sets and ended the match with three straight aces in a 6-1, 6-2 rout of 84th-ranked Nishikori en route to booking a place in the quarterfinals on the men's side of the ATP-WTA event at Ariake Tennis Forest Park. ----------

Golf: Esther Lee one shot in front at Japan Women's Open

SHIBATA, Japan - South Korea's Esther Lee had a solid round of 4-under-par 68 that put her on top of the field after the opening round of the Japan Women's Open on Thursday.

Lee picked up four birdies on a bogey-free day at Shiun Golf Club in Niigata Prefecture as the 22-year-old from Seoul, winless in her two-year career on the Japan LPGA tour, moved one shot ahead of Yui Kawahara and Mika Takushima. ----------

Golf: Fukabori sets early pace at Coca-Cola Tokai Classic

MIYOSHI, Japan - Tour veteran Keiichiro Fukabori took a two-shot lead after shooting a 7-under-par 65 in the first round of the Cocal-Cola Tokai Classic on Thursday.

Fukabori, an eight-time winner on the JGTO tour, made four birdies and a bogey before finishing with an eagle and a pair of birdies in his final four holes at Miyoshi Country Club in Aichi Prefecture, as he got off to a strong start in his bid to end a three-year victory drought. ----------

Baseball: Yomiuri's Ogasawara named Central League MVP for Sept.

TOKYO - Yomiuri Giants infielder Michihiro Ogasawara won the Central League monthly MVP award for the first time Thursday after playing a pivotal role in his team's late-season surge in September.

Ogasawara, who also has received the honor from the Pacific League five times while with the Nippon Ham Fighters, hit .391 with eight homers and 25 RBIs to help put Yomiuri into league title contention in a remarkable run highlighted by 13-game unbeaten streak.