OSAKA (Interstat) — Yuya Yanagi pitched seven strong innings and the Chunichi Dragons scored a run in the 11th inning to take a lead, but the game was declared a tie under Nippon Professional Baseball rules after neither team could finish the bottom half, as the Dragons and Hanshin Tigers played to a 3-2 tie in 11 innings Thursday night at Osaka Dome.

The game, which lasted 4 hours, 36 minutes in front of 42,630 fans, was the second straight tie between the teams after a scoreless draw Wednesday. Chunichi improved to 27-45-1, while Hanshin moved to 38-32-2.

Yanagi, the top star for Chunichi, allowed two earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts over seven innings. He was not involved in the decision. Kento Fujishima earned the win, pitching a third of an inning of scoreless relief. He improved to 2-2 on the season. Shinya Matsuyama recorded the save, his 13th, with a scoreless inning of work. Masaki Oyokawa took the loss for Hanshin, falling to 1-1.

The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Shota Morishita launched a solo home run to left-center field off Yanagi, giving Hanshin a 1-0 lead.

Hanshin added another run in the fourth. Takumu Nakano led off with a double to right-center. After a groundout by Morishita that moved Nakano to third, Nakano scored on a groundout to third by Teruaki Sato, making it 2-0.

Chunichi responded in the fifth inning against Hanshin starter Kaito Shimomura. Yuta Ishii singled to shortstop to lead off, and Takaya Ishikawa followed with a single to shallow center. Kosuke Ukai then singled to shallow center, scoring Ishii to cut the lead to 2-1. After a groundout by Yanagi, Yuki Okabayashi doubled on the right-field line, scoring Ishikawa to tie the game at 2-2. A hit batter and a strikeout left the bases loaded, but Chunichi had tied the game.

Shimomura pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts.

The game remained tied through the ninth inning as both bullpens held. Chunichi threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with no outs against reliever Rafael Dolis, but struck out twice and flew out to center to end the inning.

In the top of the 11th, Chunichi broke the deadlock. Kosuke Ukai singled to shallow center off Oyokawa. Mikiya Tanaka sacrificed him to second. After a groundout by Okabayashi, Yasuhiro Yamamoto walked. Toshiki Abe then singled to shallow center, scoring Ukai to give Chunichi a 3-2 lead.

Hanshin had a chance in the bottom of the 11th against Matsuyama. Seiya Kinami singled to shallow right with one out. After a flyout, pinch-runner Kai Ueda stole second base, but Rinshiro Shimamura struck out swinging to end the inning. Under NPB rules, the game was declared a tie after 11 innings.

Morishita led the Tigers offense, going 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Nakano had two hits including a double. Okabayashi finished 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI for Chunichi. Ukai had two hits and scored a run. Abe drove in the go-ahead run.

For Hanshin, reliever Rito Kinoshita pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Dolis struck out two in a scoreless inning. Suguru Iwazaki also pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. For Chunichi, Seiya Yoshida pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts.

The game started at a crisp pace but slowed in the middle innings as both teams struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position. Chunichi left 10 runners on base, while Hanshin stranded nine.

Chunichi’s season continues with a three-game home series against the Yomiuri Giants beginning Friday. Hanshin hosts the Hiroshima Toyo Carp for three games starting Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Hanshin Tigers 5, Chunichi Dragons 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Hanshin with a 68.80 percent probability to win. Hanshin had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 3 went over the over-under line of 6.5.