SENDAI, Japan (AP) Masahiro Tanaka struck out 12 batters over the distance as the Rakuten Eagles beat the Yomiuri Giants 2-1 on Sunday to even the best-of-seven Japan Series at a game apiece.
Tanaka, who went 24-0 in the regular season and hasn't lost a game since Aug. 19, 2012, gave up three hits while walking three in a 127-pitch effort at Kleenex Stadium Miyagi.
Ginji Akaminai drove in a run with a single to center in the sixth inning and Kazuya Fujita added another on an infield single in the seventh.
Yomiuri scored its only run of the game in the eighth inning on a home run by Takayuki Terauchi that just cleared the wall in left field.
The next three games will be held at Tokyo Dome from Oct. 29-31.
