Kishi pitches no-hitter

Kishi pitches no-hitter

CHIBA, Japan - Seibu Lions right-hander Takayuki Kishi (face to camera) celebrates with catcher Ginjiro Sumitani after Kishi threw the first no-hitter of his career and the 89th in Japanese professional baseball during a game against the Lotte Marines at QVC Marine Field in Chiba on May 2, 2014. The Lions defeated the Marines 2-0.

Kishi pitches no-hitter

Kishi pitches no-hitter

CHIBA, Japan - Seibu Lions catcher Ginjiro Sumitani (front) runs to pitcher Takayuki Kishi after the right-hander threw the first no-hitter of his career and the 89th in Japanese professional baseball during a game against the Lotte Marines at QVC Marine Field in Chiba on May 2, 2014. The Lions defeated the Marines 2-0.

Kishi pitches no-hitter

Kishi pitches no-hitter

CHIBA, Japan - Seibu Lions right-hander Takayuki Kishi (face to camera) celebrates with catcher Ginjiro Sumitani after Kishi threw the first no-hitter of his career and the 89th in Japanese professional baseball during a game against the Lotte Marines at QVC Marine Field in Chiba on May 2, 2014. The Lions defeated the Marines 2-0.

Kishi pitches no-hitter

Kishi pitches no-hitter

CHIBA, Japan - Seibu Lions right-hander Takayuki Kishi (L) celebrates with catcher Ginjiro Sumitani after Kishi threw the first no-hitter of his career and the 89th in Japanese profession baseball during a game against the Lotte Marines at QVC Marine Field in Chiba on May 2, 2014. The Lions defeated the Marines 2-0.

Japan defeats Cuba 2-0

Japan defeats Cuba 2-0

FUKUOKA, Japan - Catcher Ginjiro Sumitani of Japan opens the scoring of a World Baseball Classic tune-up game against Cuba with a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning off right-hander Yadier Pedroso at Yahoo Dome, Fukuoka, on Nov. 16, 2012. Japan held Cuba to three hits in a 2-0 victory.

Japan defeats Cuba 2-0

Japan defeats Cuba 2-0

FUKUOKA, Japan - Catcher Ginjiro Sumitani of Japan opens the scoring of a World Baseball Classic tune-up game against Cuba with a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning off right-hander Yadier Pedroso at Yahoo Dome, Fukuoka, on Nov. 16, 2012. Japan held Cuba to three hits in a 2-0 victory.

Japan defeats Cuba 2-0

Japan defeats Cuba 2-0

FUKUOKA, Japan - Catcher Ginjiro Sumitani of Japan opens the scoring of a World Baseball Classic tune-up game against Cuba with a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning off right-hander Yadier Pedroso at Yahoo Dome, Fukuoka, on Nov. 16, 2012. Japan held Cuba to three hits in a 2-0 victory.

Lions Kikuchi works hard in spring training

Lions Kikuchi works hard in spring training

NICHINAN, Japan - Seibu Lions rookie Yusei Kikuchi (L) chats with catcher Ginjiro Sumitani after his pitching practice during the Pacific League club's spring training in Miyazaki Prefecture on Feb. 2, 2010.

Catcher Ginjiro takes flight

Catcher Ginjiro takes flight

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Seibu Lions catcher Ginjiro Sumitani leaps after a pop-up bunt by Softbank Hawks left fielder Yuya Hasegawa in the seventh inning of a game between their two teams at Seibu Dome on April 30.

Catcher Ginjiro takes flight

Catcher Ginjiro takes flight

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Seibu Lions catcher Ginjiro Sumitani leaps after a pop-up bunt by Softbank Hawks left fielder Yuya Hasegawa in the seventh inning of a game between their two teams at Seibu Dome on April 30. (Kyodo)

Baseball: Interleague play to begin in Japan

Baseball: Interleague play to begin in Japan

(From L to R) Takayuki Kajitani of the DeNA BayStars, Yoshihiro Maru of the Hiroshima Carp, Hisayoshi Chono of the Yomiuri Giants, Yuya Hasegawa of the SoftBank Hawks, Daichi Suzuki of the Lotte Marines and Ginjiro Sumitani of the Seibu Lions pose for a photo in Tokyo on May 30, 2016, as interleague play begins in Japanese baseball the following day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Lions Kikuchi works hard in spring training

Lions Kikuchi works hard in spring training

NICHINAN, Japan - Seibu Lions rookie Yusei Kikuchi (L) chats with catcher Ginjiro Sumitani after his pitching practice during the Pacific League club's spring training in Miyazaki Prefecture on Feb. 2, 2010. (Kyodo)

Baseball: Dodgers beat Japan's WBC team in exhibition

Baseball: Dodgers beat Japan's WBC team in exhibition

Trevor Oaks of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches to Ginjiro Sumitani of Japan's World Baseball Classic team in the third inning of an exhibition game in Glendale, Arizona, on March 19, 2017. The Dodgers won 3-2 on a two-run, walk-off double by O'Koyea Dickson. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo