TOKYO -- Hideki Irabu won his second straight game in his return to Japanese baseball, leading the Hanshin Tigers to a 3-2 victory over the Yakult Swallows on Friday.
Irabu, who had 16 saves for the Texas Rangers last season, scattered six hits in eight innings.
After compiling a 34-35 record and a 5.15 ERA in six major league seasons, Irabu signed a $2 million, one-year deal in December with the Tigers, hoping to revive the struggling Central League team.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jeffrey Williams earned his second save.
At Nagoya Dome, former St. Louis outfielder Alex Ochoa hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to lead the Chunichi Dragons to an 11-3 win over the Yokohama BayStars.
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