SAPPORO (Interstat) — Koki Kitayama pitched a complete-game shutout, scattering three hits and striking out seven, as the Nippon-Ham Fighters blanked the Orix Buffaloes 3-0 on Sunday evening at Sapporo Dome. Kitayama (2-2) walked none in the 2-hour, 44-minute contest before an announced crowd of 34,671.

The Fighters struck early. In the first inning, Franmil Reyes singled to shallow center to drive in a run, and Kotaro Kiyomiya followed with a sacrifice fly to center, making it 2-0. Chusei Mannami added a solo home run to left with two outs in the sixth to complete the scoring.

Allen Kuri (2-3) worked six innings for the Buffaloes, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out 10. Kaito Iriyama and Nobuyoshi Yamada pitched in relief.

Orix managed just three hits and fell to 18-12. The Fighters, who had six hits, improved to 15-17 and won the three-game series two games to one.