Murton breaks record

The Daily Yomiuri

Hanshin Tigers outfielder Matt Murton set a record for hits by a first-year foreign player, going 3-for-5 in Sunday's 11-5 victory over the Carp in Hiroshima.

Murton's third hit gave him 175 for the season, pushing him past Phil clark, who had 174 in 1997, his debut season with the Kintetsu Buffaloes.

Murton raised his average to .343, second best on the Tigers to second baseman Keiichi Hirano's .354.

In other baseball news:

--The Yomiuri Giants deactivated first baseman Lee Seung Yeop on Monday. Lee, activated on Sept. 3, went 1-for-5 over the weekend, when the Giants were swept in three games by the Chunichi Dragons at Nagoya.

The Giants open a three-game series tonight in Yokohama.