Baseball: Omura, Glynn, Greisinger win monthly MVP awards for 1st time

Lotte Marines outfielder Saburo Omura, Nippon Ham Fighters right-hander Ryan Glynn and Yakult Swallows right-hander Seth Greisinger won monthly MVP awards for the first time on Wednesday.

Omura, playing in his 13th year as a professional, was named the Pacific League MVP for June after leading the league with a .392 batting average, 29 hits and 18 RBIs. He also hit safely in nine consecutive at-bats during the month, one shy of the league record set by Bunjiro Sakamoto of the Daiei Stars in 1954.

Glynn, who posted a 3-0 record with an 0.59 ERA in four starts, was named the PL pitcher of the month a week after winning the MVP award for interleague play held between May 22 and June 26.

Greisinger, who helped the slumping Swallows manage a 10-8 record in June by winning all four starts, edged out Yomiuri Giants lefty Hisanori Takahashi, who also had a 4-0 record in four starts.

Yomiuri outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi was named the Central League monthly MVP in the category for position players for the first time in four years and the fifth time overall.

Takahashi hit .408 with eight homers, both the best in the league. Teammate Shinnosuke Abe also hit eight home runs in June.