Hiroaki Shimauchi doubles in the eighth inning to drive in Rakuten Eagles teammate Hiroto Kobukata with the decisive tie-breaking run that lifted the Pacific League to a 4-3 win over the Central League in All-Star Game 2 at Sendai's Rakuten Seimei Park on July 17, 2021. Shimauchi was named the game's MVP. (Kyodo)

       SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Hiroaki Shimauchi of the Rakuten Eagles drove in three runs to help the Pacific League to a 4-3 win over the Central League in Saturday's All-Star Series Game 2.

       Playing in front of 14,852 at the Eagles' home ground, Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi, Shimauchi went 3-for-4 to earn MVP honors for the game.

       His two-run third-inning single broke a 1-1 tie. After the CL tied it 3-3 in the eighth, Shimauchi doubled home Eagles teammate Hiroto Kobukata to put the PL back in front.

       Rakuten reliever Sung Chia-hao earned the win in relief despite surrendering a pair of unearned runs on three hits in the top of the eighth. Eagles closer Yuki Matsui worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the save.

       The CL grabbed a second-inning lead on a home run by popular Hanshin Tigers rookie Teruaki Sato, only for the PL to tie it in the home half on a drive over the fence by the Orix Buffaloes' Yutaro Sugimoto.

       With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Kobukata drew a leadoff walk off Ryoji Kuribayashi, the Hiroshima Carp's rookie closer, and scored from first on Shimauchi's double.

       The game was the first All-Star contest held in Sendai since 2011, when repairs to the park were not yet complete following the March 11, 2011 earthquake.

       The win earned the PL a split in this year's two-game series after the CL beat the PL 5-4 in Friday's Game 1.

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0