Baseball: Lions’ MLB hopeful Takahashi fans 11 in 1st win

Seibu Lions ace Kona Takahashi struck out 11 over eight innings to earn his first win of the season in a 3-0 Pacific League victory Saturday over the SoftBank Hawks.

Takahashi (1-0), who last year asked the Lions to make him available to MLB teams through the posting system, surrendered three hits and walked two at Miyazaki’s Sun Marine Stadium. He made a good defensive play on a sacrifice bunt attempt after an eighth-inning leadoff double to keep the Hawks scoreless.

“That play on the bunt was a testament to the work I did in spring training,” the 26-year-old right-hander said. “The 11 strike...