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Kyodo sports news summary
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TOKYO, Nov. 8 (00:53) Kyodo
---------- Baseball: Lotte closer Kobayashi heading to big leagues NAGOYA - Lotte Marines closer Hiroyuki Kobayashi will exercise his overseas free agency rights this winter to take a shot at the major leagues, several sources familiar with the situation told Kyodo News. Asked about pitching in the majors, Kobayashi said on Sunday, ''I don't know. I'll take my time to think about it.'' ---------- Fencing: Ota takes bronze, 1st Japanese individual to medal at worlds PARIS - Beijing Olympic silver medalist Yuki Ota became the first Japanese to medal in an individual event at the fencing world championships on Sunday, winning a bronze in the men's foil competition. Ota led 14-13 in the semifinals against Lei Sheng of China, but allowed the world No. 1 two straight points before bowing out. ---------- Baseball: Lotte wins Game 7 to take Japan Series title NAGOYA - Yoshifumi Okada hit a tiebreaking RBI triple in the 12th inning as the persistent Lotte Marines prevailed to beat the Chunichi Dragons 8-7 in Game 7 to clinch their first Japan Series title in five years on Sunday. The Marines, who won the series four games to two with one tie, became the first third-place team in history to win a championship. Chunichi, the Central League pennant winner, failed in its bid to win its first crown since 2007. ---------- Volleyball: Japan cooks Turkey to stay second in group TOKYO - Japan beat Turkey in four sets to keep their medal hopes alive at the women's world volleyball championship on Sunday, holding on to second place in Group E behind leader Russia. The host prevailed 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 25-13, rebounding from its loss to China the day before. Japan, eyeing its first medal at the worlds in 32 years, has fours wins through the first five games to trail Russia, which remains unbeaten. ---------- Tennis: Date Krumm 3rd at Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions TOKYO - Wildcard Kimiko Date Krumm defeated Daniela Hantuchova 7-5, 7-5 in the third-place match at the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Bali on Sunday. The 40-year-old Date Krumm, who lost in the final of the Japan Women's Open last month, had beaten top seed Li Na of China in the quarterfinals before falling at the hands of Serbian Ana Ivanovic in Saturday's semifinals. ---------- Soccer: Narazaki blunder hands Kashima title lifeline KASHIMA, Japan - A moment of madness by veteran goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki threw Kashima Antlers a championship lifeline on Sunday as Nagoya Grampus crashed to a 1-0 defeat at the three-time defending J-League champions. Victory would have left Nagoya only needing a win in next week's meeting with struggling Omiya Ardija to secure an elusive first league crown, but the result instead has prolonged the title race after cutting Grampus' lead to eight points with five games left. ---------- Figure Skating: Ando, Kozuka satisfied after winning Cup of China BEIJING - Miki Ando and Takahiko Kozuka were thoroughly pleased with their routines on Sunday after sweeping the women's and men's titles for Japan at the Cup of China a day earlier. ''I put more emphasis on how I skated, rather than the result,'' said Ando, who came behind from third after the short program to launch her Grand Prix season with a win. ---------- Golf: Ishikawa fades, ends up 41st at HSBC Champions SHANGHAI - Ryo Ishikawa ran out of steam to fall way out of contention, finishing 41st at the $7 million HSBC Champions on Sunday. Ishikawa started the round in 23rd but shot a 75 at the Sheshan International Golf Club where Francesco Molinari held on to his lead from opening day for the victor with a 19-under 269. ---------- Tennis: Sugita wins men's title at national c'ships TOKYO - Last year's runner-up Yuichi Sugita defeated Takao Suzuki 6-1, 6-3 in the men's final at the national championships on Sunday. The 22-year-old Sugita beat third seed Suzuki at Ariake Tennis Forest Park for his first national title. ---------- Baseball: Rakuten to accept bid for Iwakuma TOKYO - The Rakuten Eagles will accept the bid from a major league team for right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, a source speaking on condition of anonymity told Kyodo News on Sunday. The team name and the amount offered for the services of the 29-year-old Iwakuma through the posting system remain undisclosed. Bids for the World Baseball Classic winner were accepted until Saturday through Major League Baseball. ---------- Golf: Shin wins Mizuno Classic for 2nd U.S. LPGA title SHIMA, Japan - World No. 1 Shin Ji Yai went from pole to finish with a 5-under 67 in the final round of the Mizuno Classic to claim her second U.S. LPGA title of the season on Sunday. Shin, the 2008 champion, enjoyed a flawless round to finish on 18-under 198, two strokes ahead of Taiwan's Yani Tseng (66) at Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club in Mie Prefecture. ---------- Baseball: Matsui, Uehara, Kuroda hit free agency LOS ANGELES - Hideki Matsui, Koji Uehara and Hiroki Kuroda all became free agents Sunday after the Japanese trio did not re-sign with their respective teams. Matsui's exclusive negotiating window with the Los Angeles Angels closed Saturday, as did Uehara's with the Baltimore Orioles and Kuroda's with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the three are now free to speak to any team. ---------- Horse Racing: Espoir City leveled in Breeders' Cup Classic NEW YORK - Espoir City crashed and burned in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, Japan's top dirt horse finishing 10th in a field of 12 in the $5 million race. At Churchill Downs in Kentucky, the 5-year-old Espoir City turned for home near the front and briefly grabbed the lead on the final straight. But the Japan Cup Dirt and February Stakes winner faded into the pack as 4-year-old Blame stunned defending champion Zenyatta, who was runner-up and saw her perfect record come to an end after 20 starts. ---------- Soccer: Kashiwa clinch promotion to J1 in 1 year KASHIWA, Japan - Kashiwa Reysol became the first J2 team to punch their ticket to the J-League first division with a 3-0 victory over FC Gifu on Sunday. Hideaki Kitajima, captain Hidekazu Otani and Leandro Domingues were all on target in the second half for Reysol, who returned to the top flight after just a season in the second division. ---------- Asian Games: Anti-Japan protests overshadow China's big showcase event TOKYO - After hosting the 2008 Beijing Games and the recently concluded Shanghai World Expo, China hopes to continue its success with the Asian Games in Guangzhou, but the persisting China-Japan row has left athletes and officials with more to worry about than just medals. Anti-Japanese demonstrations in China over the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea have attracted thousands, becoming violent at times and prompting the Japanese government to warn its athletes to ''behave'' during the Nov. 12-27 event.
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