WBSC Premier12 winner Shota Imanaga throws 85th NPB no-hitter

WBSC Premier12 winner Shota Imanaga throws 85th NPB no-hitter
08/06/2022
The 28-year-old left-hander used 117 pitches to lead the Yokohama DeNA Baystars to a 2-0 win against the Nippon Ham Fighters in Sapporo.

Left-hander Shota Imanaga, who helped the Samurai Japan National Team win the WBSC Premier12 2019, became the 85th pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) history to throw a no-hitter, when he accomplished the feat on Tuesday, 7 June. He led the Yokohama DeNA Baystars to a 2-0 win in an inter-league game against the Nippon Ham Fighters at the Sapporo Dome.

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"I never thought I'd be able to achieve that," Imanaga told the local press after the game. "Before the ninth, I pictured everyone coming to me to celebrate. I'm happy that is how things turned out."

Imanaga used 117 pitches and allowed only one walk in the second inning, striking out nine. His lineup scored the two runs in the ninth on a double by Toshiro Miyazaki against the Ham Fighters bullpen. Starter Takayushi Kato pitched six scoreless innings for the Ham Fighters.

"I was happy with the two runs," added Imanaga, "but I felt I wouldn't be able to achieve it if I got too relaxed, so I tried not to show too much outside."

The left-hander started two games for world No. 1 Japan at the WBSC Premier12 2019. He earned the win against Mexico in the super round, going six innings and allowing one run on one hit. He received the Hero of the Game honours.

Imanaga, 28, is in his seventh season with Yokohama. After missing parts of the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to shoulder surgery, he started five games in 2022 and has a 3-0 record and a 1.25 earned run average (ERA).