Baseball: Swallows’ Murakami, Buffaloes’ Yamamoto repeat as MVPs

Yakult Swallows cleanup hitter Munetaka Murakami and Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto were named the winners of their respective league’s Most Valuable Player Award for the second straight year on Friday. The 22-year-old Murakami, the Central League’s first batting Triple Crown winner since 1986 and Japanese pro baseball’s youngest, became the league’s first unanimous MVP selection since Hall of Famer Sadaharu Oh in 1977. “I want to express my gratitude to those around me who have had my back,” Murakami said. “It’s hard to continue to get good results. Winning (two in a row) is satisfying...