Yomiuri Giants win Japan Series in 6 games

TOKYO (AP) The Yomiuri Giants defeat the Nippon Ham Fighters 2-0 to win the Japan Series in six games.

Catcher Shinnosuke Abe drove in the game-winning run on Saturday.

Abe doubled over the head of center fielder Yoshio Itoi to give Yomiuri a 1-0 lead in the second inning at Sapporo Dome. Tetsuya Matsumoto hit a two-out single and scored on an error in the sixth inning to make it 2-0.

It was the first Japan Series title in seven years for the Giants.

A famous former Giants player won the MVP of the World Series. Hideki Matsui earned the honor after the New York Yankees defeated Philadelphia on Wednesday, becoming the first Japanese-born player to win the trophy.

Updated November 7, 2009