Sports

Rakuten Eagles take 2-1 lead over Yomiuri Giants in Japan Series

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Rakuten Eagles catcher Motohiro Shima, right, celebrates with closer Takashi Saito after beating the Yomiuri Giants 5-1 during Game 3 of baseball's Japan Series at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi) (The Associated Press)

Rakuten Eagles catcher Motohiro Shima, right, celebrates with closer Takashi Saito on the mound after beating the Yomiuri Giants 5-1 during Game 3 of baseball's Japan Series at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Toru Takahashi) (The Associated Press)

Kazuya Fujita drove in two runs in the second inning as the Rakuten Eagles beat the Yomiuri Giants 5-1 Tuesday to take a 2-1 lead in the Japan Series.

Fujita's bases-loaded double made it 2-0, and Ginji Akaminai drove in two more runs with a double as Rakuten took a 4-0 lead at Tokyo Dome.

Rakuten starter Manabu Mima earned the win after holding the Giants to four hits over 5 2-3 scoreless innings.

Andruw Jones singled in the Eagles' fifth run in the top of the eighth. Kenji Yano hit a solo homer in the home half of the inning to make it 5-1.

The Japan Series pits the oldest, most established team against the Eagles, who have been around only since 2005.