Baseball: Sato hits grand slam as Tigers close in on CL title

Teruaki Sato hit a grand slam and Koyo Aoyagi threw six scoreless innings as the Hanshin Tigers extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 4-0 victory over the Yomiuri Giants on Wednesday.

The Central League-leading Tigers reduced their magic number to one for clinching their first league title in 18 years, following the second-place Hiroshima Carp’ 5-1 loss to the Yakult Swallows.

Sato drove a 1-1 pitch from rookie Hayate Matsui over the wall in right-center in the third inning after the Tigers loaded the bases against left-handed starter Kai Yokogawa (4-8) at Koshien Stadium.

Sato went...