Japanese Sports Briefs

Oct 4, 2008 - 3:35 PM (Courtesy of Kyodo News Service)

TOKYO, Oct. 4 Kyodo ----------

Baseball: Chunichi beats Yomiuri, grabs final playoff spot

TOKYO - Norihiro Nakamura hit a tiebreaking three-run homer off Marc Kroon in the top of the ninth inning as the Chunichi Dragons beat the Yomiuri Giants 4-3 Saturday to earn the third and final postseason spot in the Central League.

The front-running Hanshin Tigers moved a half-game ahead of Yomiuri after a 2-2, 12-inning tie with the Yakult Swallows and the Yokohama BayStars snapped a 14-game winless streak with a 14-5 rout of the Hiroshima Carp. The Rakuten Eagles edged the Seibu Lions 4-3 in 10 innings in Saturday's only Pacific League game. ----------

Tennis: Roddick falls to Berdych in semis at Japan Open

TOKYO - American second-seed and former world No. 1 Andy Roddick suffered an upset on Saturday, making an exit in the semifinals against Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the men's singles at the Japan Open.

Roddick, currently ranked No. 8 and making his debut at the Tokyo meet, took the first-set tiebreaker but the tall and lanky ninth-seeded Berdych came roaring back to win the next two sets for a 6-7 (3-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) win at Ariake Tennis Forest Park. ----------

Soccer: Kawasaki brush aside Oita as Gamba hold leaders Kashima

KAWASAKI, Japan - Kawasaki Frontale kept alive their hopes of a first J-League first division title with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat of Oita Trinita on Saturday.

Renatinho grabbed a quick-fire double and Juninho made the points safe shortly before the hour mark to push Frontale within two points of leaders Kashima Antlers, who were held 0-0 away to Gamba Osaka. ----------

Golf: Katayama 1 shot behind leader in quest for lifetime exemption

MIYOSHI, Japan - Shingo Katayama made a major move in his latest bid for a 25th career title and a lifetime exemption on the JGTO tour Saturday, shooting a 5-under-par 67 to pull within a shot of co-leaders Toshinori Muto and Yuta Ikeda at the Coca-Cola Tokai Classic.

Katayama, who began the day four shots off the lead, charged up the leaderboard with six birdies against a lone bogey on his way to sharing third place with Toru Taniguchi at 7-under 209 after three rounds at Miyoshi Country Club in Aichi Prefecture. ----------

Golf: Iijima leaps into joint lead at Japan Women's Open

SHIBATA, Japan - Akane Iijima shot a solid round of 3-under-par 69 on Saturday to share the top spot with overnight leader Esther Lee of South Korea after three rounds at the Japan Women's Open.

Iijima negotiated the tough Shiun Golf Club course in Niigata Prefecture with a blemish-free round that featured three birdies, which took her to 1-under 215 going into the final round, while Lee saw her lead evaporate after a 74. ----------

Baseball: Iwamura goes deep, Matsuzaka gets no-decision

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida - Akinori Iwamura hit a go-ahead two-run homer Friday as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 6-2 in Game 2 of their best-of-five American League division series to move within one win of the AL championship series.

The Boston Red Sox also took a 2-0 lead in the other AL division series with a 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Daisuke Matsuzaka allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings and ended up with a no-decision in his fifth career postseason start.