Keiji Takahashi delivered a dominant performance on the mound, pitching eight scoreless innings to secure a 1-0 victory for the Yakult Swallows against the Hanshin Tigers. He outmatched Hiroto Saiki in a tightly contested game held at Koshien Stadium.

The decisive moment came in the eighth inning when Domingo Santana drove in a run with a two-out RBI double, breaking the scoreless deadlock. This hit proved to be the game-winner. The loss ended the Tigers' winning streak at three games.

Takahashi's pitching was exceptional. He allowed only three hits, all singles, while striking out nine batters and issuing three walks. His outing spanned 119 pitches.

Following the game, the 27-year-old left-hander shared his strategy. He aimed to pitch deep into the game, having been pulled early in his previous start. He wanted to set a positive tone for the team at the beginning of the week by pitching aggressively.

In other games played on Tuesday, the SoftBank Hawks defeated the Orix Buffaloes with a score of 5-2, ending the Buffaloes' six-game winning streak. The Nippon Ham Fighters also secured a 5-2 victory against the Rakuten Eagles.