Baseball: Imai throws 7-inning gem as Lions end skid
Imai (7-4), who walked three and hit one batter, gave up his only hit on a Franmil Reyes single in the fourth inning that loaded the bases with no outs. He escaped the jam with a double play and a strikeout at Es Con Field Hokkaido.
Fighters starter Kota Tatsu held the Lions to five hits over 6-1/3 innings, striking out eight and walking two in a 115-pitch duel. Imai finished with the same number of pitches.
Fighters second reliever Shoma Kanemura (4-5) gave up the game's first run in the eighth, however, on Jonathan Davis' bases-loaded single with two outs.
Yuto Koga had a solo home run in the ninth for the Lions, who ended the Fighters' four-game winning streak.
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