On July 4 Softbank Hawks’ American pitcher Dennis Sarfate secured his 25th save of the season against the Orix Buffaloes at the Fukuoka Yahuoku! Dome, and in doing so became the sixth person to achieve 200 career saves in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Sarfate is the first non-Japanese player to achieve the feat, and at 36 years old he surpasses Hitoki Iwase (Chunichi Dragons) to become the oldest person to achieve the milestone. Sarfate joined the Hawks in 2014, having previously played for the Hiroshima Carp and Seibu Lions. The news comes after Sarfate broke the record for most saves (178) for a non-Japanese pitcher in NPB history earlier in April of this year. Source: Sankei Shimbun, 7/5/2017
Photo: ©SoftBank HAWKS
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