By Yoon Chul
Korea Times Intern
Lim Chang-yong of the Yakult Swallows earned his 32nd save of the season in his team's 4-1 win against the Yokohama BayStars Wednesday in the Japanese league at Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo.
The save was also the 200th of Lim's career. He earned 168 of those saves and had a 104-66 record while playing 13 years in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), before joining the Swallows this year.
Lim had a 29-24 record with 60 saves while playing in Korea for the Haitai Tigers ― a predecessor of the Kia Tigers ― from 1995 to 1998 and went 75-42 with 108 saves for the Samsung Lions from 1999 to 2007.
Lim took the mound for the Swallows Wednesday with his team leading 4-1 in the ninth inning and threw only five pitches to close out the game.
Saeki Takahiro led off the inning by flying out to left field. Lim then struck out Ishikawa Takehiro on three pitches and got the next batter to fly out.
The scoreless inning lowered Lim's ERA to 3.06 this season.
Lee Seung-yeop drove in two runs to help the Yomiuri Giants beat the Hanshin Tigers 3-1 Wednesday at the Tokyo Dome.
The victory gave the Giants (82-56-3) a one-game lead over the Tigers (81-57-3) in Japan's Central League standings. Each team has three games remaining against different opponents.
Lee hit a bases-loaded double to left field against Tigers starter Andoh Yuya to drive in two runs in the third inning.
``I wanted to hit a fly ball to the outfield to earn the score,'' Lee said. ``I couldn't lose that big chance.''
Lee, a 32-year-old slugger from South Korea, went 1-for-2 in the game to improve his batting average to .241. He also walked once and was hit by a pitch.
The Giants, who trailed the Tigers by 13 games earlier this season, can clinch first place in the league for the second straight year if they win two of their next three games.
"I am really happy to help the team at the important time,'' Lee said. ``I think I just did my job this game.''