Veteran reliever Yoshihisa Hirano had his retirement game on Friday night.
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks clinched first place in the Pacific League with a 7-1 win over the Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome on Thursday.
Cuban closer Raidel Martinez became the first foreigner in NPB history to reach the 250-save milestone.
Hanshin Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato hit two home runs on Thursday night against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, bolstering his lead in all three Central League Triple Crown categories.
Sixty-two years ago, Masanori Murakami stepped onto a Major League mound and opened a door for generations of Japanese baseball stars.
Four players have been elected to the Latin Baseball Hall of Fame's 13th induction class, and will be honored in Puerto Rico in December.
